


Coming out

by COTZO



Category: One Piece
Genre: Coming Out, Drama, Falling In Love, Friendship, M/M, Suppressed Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2020-08-20 04:42:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20221978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/COTZO/pseuds/COTZO
Summary: Sensei told him clearly that men were made to mary women and have children, right?So why was he so far from that goal?





	1. It hurts

**Author's Note:**

> I admire the people who had the courage to come out and tell the world THIS IS WHO I AM and I know it takes a lot of courage. I spent a lot of time watching beautiful stories and I believe Zosan deserves a story. I hope you enjoy.

The night Zoro saw Sanji, he knew it would become his undoing. The guy was full of life, dancing, singing, cooking, well dressed and loving with everyone. The dude was the soul of the party and Zoro couldn’t take his eyes off him, and he hated himself because of that, because he managed so well so far to hide that part of him, and this full of color man came in and it was so hard not to enjoy his presence, it was as if he was sent there just to torment him.

Luffy told him a couple of days that he had a new friend and he wanted Zoro to meet him also, but Zoro was the same “I don’t care” person as ever, another person added to the gang, he really didn’t mind, but neither was he glad. He would meet him, and that was it, you couldn’t say no to Luffy.

But that night, Nami’s birthday, was the night he was put to the challenge of not showing his true colors, of not showing the others his nasty side, the part of him that he tried so hard to hide or kill, the one that was laughing every time he couldn’t hold a relationship with a woman more than a few weeks, every time he wouldn’t get hard when he saw naked women bodies, but would slowly whisper in his ear every time a well-dressed man passed him, would make his skin tingle every time he smelled a combination of perfume and manliness, would make him swallow hard every time he saw a hard, supple muscle hitting another object. 

When he first told his sensei the feeling he was having when he saw some men from his dojo fighting and winning, the man looked really confused and stern. He took Zoro away and commanded him never tell anyone else than he explained to his pupil that men like women, marry them and make children and this was the rule he should abide. Since then Zoro never told anyone else ever again what he was feeling, not even to Kuina. He thought that it would be easy to drown that sensation, it would be easy to like women because he liked Kuina a lot, she was a great fighter, she won every match but he promised himself that he would defeat her someday and then ask her to marry him and have children together, just like sensei said.  
He wanted to be the best for her, they promised themselves they will try their best to be the best.

And then it happened…

A few stairs and a hit to the head and his best friend was gone, her life blown in the wind. Sensei was depressed a long period of time and he had to get through life by himself, no one to talk to, not one shoulder to cry on, so the anger got to him, made him close himself and fight everyone and everything, he had more bruises than skin, he was skin and bones because he was cooking for himself and that was not very edible, so many nights he would fall asleep with his stomach more empty than full. He would grow stronger, he would be the best and remember her forever. 

His sensei had the mind to pay for his tuition to a boarding school. Highschool life was not easy but not hard also, the ones that picked on him would get a taste of his fists, he was not allowed to bring his swords to school. He trained night and day, he went to classes just to sleep and have his exams, he was average and that didn’t bother him at all. 

Unfortunately, the grieving period never ended, and he wanted no help. 

On his last year of high school, he met Luffy and things got better, but also worse. It was better because Luffy understood him, but also worse because Luffy came with people, a lot of people.  
Luffy insisted to go double dating, to go to parties, and people started asking him why did he refuse, and when Luffy told him it was weird not to date and have fun, he never meant women, but people.  
But Zoro got the message wrong, he understood that his friends thought he was weird because he didn’t date women, he remembered again his sensei’s words and forced himself to date women, to go out and talk about his dates with his friends because it seems this was normal and he wanted to be normal. The only problem was that they never lasted because they always wanted more after a while, more skin on skin, more touches, more intimacy, and even though Zoro had no problem kissing them, taking them in his arms and cuddling, he could not get in the mood, he could not get erect from their breasts, or even worse, he couldn’t like touching them on their sexes, for him it was just gross, so they usually left. 

Zoro was horrified because the moment Sanji entered the room with Luffy, he got hard instantly, his mouth got dry and his brain sent him all the wrong signals. He was so upset that he immediately started a fight with the man, attacking his masculinity and eyebrows. The good thing is that it worked, he got his mind out of the gutter, or so he thought.  
After yelling at each other and calling themselves names, the blond could not stand anymore and attacked him. Zoro reacted fast and unconsciously but the voice was back stronger than ever, whispering sweetly, making him notice how strong were his kicks and how much he would want to feel that power under his palms, the way he stopped his attacks and that he should try the blond with his swords, cut those clothes and enjoy his body as the freak he was. Zoro was shocked because it was the first time he defiled the image of his swords with his filthy, freak thoughts. It was just a second, a blip but it was enough for the other to pound him in the wall. Zoro yelled, came back and punched the blond hard and left without saying a word. Everyone was in shock, they never saw Zoro so angry and they didn’t understand why.

The man left the party and went home, or in the direction of his home, he didn't know where he was or how much time it has passed since he was walking but he was so lost in thought that it didn’t matter. He felt something was wrong with his body, he felt his shirt wetter but it was ok, it was his punishment for defiling the only thing he had from her with his freak thoughts. He never realized he fainted, but when he woke up he was not outside anymore. Trying to get up from the bed he was placed in, he felt his head explode from pain and nausea taking over him. He stopped and breathed for a while, groaning when it got worse and worse. And as if the world hated him, he heard the voice he loved and hated at the same time.

“Yes, Luffy, I found him in the park close to my house, fainted from the loss of blood. Yes, I am sorry I will apologize I hit him that hard. No, no it’s not necessary to come and take him, he’ll be fine here. Yes, yes I promise I will try to not fight with him anymore. I believe he just woke up so hear you later ok? Tell beautiful Nami-san not to worry anymore.”

The phone was closed and two blue eyes were looking at him. He was not a coward, he didn’t close his eyes because of the shiver he felt traveling through all his body, but because of the bloody headache and the dizziness. A cold hand touched his forehead and it felt so good he just let it there. He fell asleep and his dreams were clouded of blood, smoke, man’s perfume, and gold hair. When he woke up again he felt better, but he made no fast moves. He slowly opened his eyes and was shocked out to see the man sitting on a chair at his bedside, sleeping. Zoro felt like the biggest of fools, he verbally and physically attacked this man just because he could not control his body, and what does the other do? Takes care of him after he faints. Why? He was so perfect, why was it not allowed to fall for him?


	2. Break down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How could he make his feeling disappear?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I don't know if I will write another chapter or another 10, I'm still not sure what will this become, but the caterpillar is now in its cocoon, ready to grow so I hope you will have patience. Thank you for being here, luv u!

Sanji made breakfast for them and they ate in silence in his kitchen. 

“Luffy and Chopper will be here in half an hour to take you home. Look I thought all night long how could I apologize, I know my blows are hard and … “

“It was not your fault, I asked for it. Just forget it.”

“How could I forget it? It is my fault you have almost broken your head and …”

“I said FORGET IT!”

Both men were on their feet and tense

“But …”

“No buts, I’m fine. But we have to spar again, but this time with my swords.”

The wonder in the other’s eyes was clear.

“You fight with swords?”

“Yeah, so you had an advantage because I didn’t have my weapons with me.”

Zoro saw Sanji smiling softly and he thought that he would want a picture with that image. It was so soothing.

“So that’s what you’ll be telling yourself? I think I could beat you with or without your swords.”

Zoro was about to scream, to yell and hit the other, but then he saw the blond was still smiling and the words were not acid or vindictive but teasing. Oh, could he do it? Could he tease back?

“You talk now … when I don’t have them with me so I can’t prove it to you.”

Zoro looked anywhere but at Sanji. It wasn’t quite right, but he really didn’t know how to tease, he was an “on point” kind of man.

“Then we have to make it a date.”

If someone could die because he drowned with his own saliva, it would be Zoro. He coughed violently, he had no air, what did the other say?  
Sanji was patting his back and laughing.

“Hey, didn’t you ever had a spar date?”

Ohhh, that’s what he meant. 

“What did you think I was asking?”

“No, I just,,, it’s…”

“So, do you want to spar with me Zoro?”

The way the blond pronounced his name was funny, but also very attractive. He was never Zoró.

“Yeah, sure thing … curly.”

He couldn’t say it, he just couldn’t say the blonde’s name.

“What did you call me?”

The man had his eyes wide open and was clearly bothered. Zoro thought that he could take advantage of this.

“Oh, haven’t you look in a mirror today? Your brows are curly.”

“Shut up!”

“But how could I not notice when they are right there, on your face.”

“I said SHUT UP!”

The next second the blond was in his face, pushing him on the floor and holding his hands above his head. Thank God for Luffy and Chopper entering the room at that exact moment or else the blond would have felt/seen his boner. Oh, the blond was so hot when he was angry.

“Sanji, he was just hurt! How can you be so mean to him?”

“Sorry Chopper, he was just an ass and I reacted.”

“Are you OK Zoro?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Let’s get out of here.”

“Don’t forget about our date mossy.”

“Date with Zoro? I want one too!”

“It’s just a spar Luffy.”

“Oh, not fun. I don’t want to fight you.”

Zoro didn’t sleep that night. He kept remembering the blonde’s smile, his wits, and posture, the moment he felt on the floor with the blond on him. Shivers kept passing through him every time he imagined that same scenario again and again.   
But the guy was not only hot but also kind, he took care of him and slept on the chair near his bed, and he looked really worried when he wanted to apologize. And maybe he should have been worried because his kick hurt, like really bad. He was really strong, but also nice. 

Zoro was on the verge of doing something really stupid when he noticed the sun was rising. He thought about the man all night long. The realization hit him like a hammer. He couldn’t, his sensei told him what was right, what he should do. So he got up and went to the dojo, and trained all day long. His body was tired but the longer he trained the longer he didn’t feel the attraction so bad. He then decided he would not go to the sparing date, and he would try to stay away from the man, and … he stopped the train of thoughts. Focus, meditation and training, these were all he needed. 

The next day at school he stayed in the classroom, not looking for the gang. No one realized he was there, he had no friends in his own class, he had no one to talk so he put his head on the desk and slept through the launch break.

Meanwhile, in the canteen, everybody was wondering why Zoro didn’t show up. Sanji was the new addition to the gang and he fit perfectly there, even bringing the girls some sweets from his restaurant. He also noticed the missing green head and asked the others but no one knew what happened, and no one knew where he was. The guys joked about getting lost again and Luffy told Sanji that Zoro didn’t have the best direction. 

The second day Zoro didn’t come to eat with them, Usopp and Luffy tried to call him but Zoro didn’t answer. He was once again sleeping on his desk trying to forget his torments. He missed the interaction a little, he missed the jokes and the goofing but until he was ready to see the blond and not feel anything, he would not go with his friends anymore. He would train out of it.

The third day they went to get him before the break. Luffy and Usopp met the day before with an ex of the guy and asked her if she knew where his class is, and she told them. Sanji wanted to go with them also, so all of them left their classes 10 minutes before the break so Zoro could not escape, met and found the class. 

The teacher got out of the class, glared at them for being there too early definitely, and left. The guys entered the classroom and found their friend. Luffy yelled from the top of his lungs.

“Zoro! We found you!”

The guy lifted his head, with a haunted look in his eyes. Sanji wondered what was making the man so freaked out.

“What …? But … how did you? Why are you here?”

“To take you to lunch. You missed two days in a row and we were worried. Come on Zoro, food is waiting. Meeeeeeeat!”

He ran out of the classroom with great speed, Usopp following him. Sanji was blocked to move by girls who were swarming around him but managed to see the defeated look in the other’s eyes. He was sure that the man would get up and follow the others but the opposite happened. Zoro threw a sad look at him and then sat again with his head on his arms. 

“Oh no you don’t, you stupid marimo.”

Sanji yell scared the girls around, and the boy could move to his target. 

In the meantime, Zoro also raised his head when he heard the other scream, the voice he tried so hard to forget, the raspy baritone, because of course, the man smoked, and even though Zoro never smoked he thought it was hot as fuck. He saw just on time the leg that was approaching him fast. He blocked it with his arm, and because his muscles were drained from too much training, he hissed a bit. 

“What the fuck dude why is your muscle so stiff? Are you all right? Let me see.”

Sanji was in his face, already lifting his sleeve. Zoro looked a little at the blond hair in his face, and then saw that everyone else was looking, and his fuse blew. 

“What the fuck do you want? Why are you here? Go play with someone else!”

He ran, he ran as fast as he could and never looked back. By the time he got home he was all sweaty, his thoughts were muddled and he felt drained. He went straight to his room, threw himself on his bed and started crying. He felt so weak and beaten, he could do nothing to make it better. When he saw Luffy there, in his class, he was a bit glad, it meant his friends cared, and there was Usopp also, but then his eyes landed on the blond and his world started spinning. Why was the blond there? He was trying so hard to not think about him, to forget his voice and demeanor, the color of his eyes and that slick smile, and then out of nowhere not only he appears in his classroom but gets the eyes of all girls, girls who could talk to him, flirt with him, date him. The fact that he was not a girl, he could not do any of the things girls could just smack him in the face bad, so he put his head on his arms ready to sleep and forget with all his heart. And then the boy had to show him how strong he was again, had to yell at him with that voice that was giving him shivers and hit him. He really still had a thing for powerful men, he could never not see it, so when the other not only hit him hard, but then acted worried, realized that something was not right with his body, he was sore from all the fighting and training, but he was also hard from the pleasure he had from feeling the other’s strength, something in him snapped. He had to leave or he would get closer to the man, he would touch him or hug him or … the thought of a kiss brought Zoro yell-crying because he could never have something like that with the guy and the world was not fair. 

He was scared out of his thoughts when he felt a hand on his shoulder slowly patting him. He turned his head fast and realized it was Luffy. He couldn’t do anything but hug the man and cry on his shoulder and his friend was there the whole time, not trying to stop him, just helping him with being there. Almost half an hour later, Zoro calmed a little and with the help of the other went to the bath to wash his face. Back in his room, he expected questions but Luffy said nothing, just waited.

“Aren’t you gonna ask me?”

“No! But if you want to tell me, I hope you know I am here for you. We are friends Zoro.”

Yes, they were friends but Zoro believed even Luffy would be shocked if he found out about him, about his weirdness. 

“I … can’t tell you.”

“Then don’t. But remember that I am here WHATEVER you may do or say.”

“And if I told you that I killed someone?”

“I have some good places to hide the body.”

Zoro was shocked as to how honest and serious the guy seemed, as if he was totally thinking where it would be best to hide the corpse.

“What if I hurt a friend of yours?”

This was not too far from the truth, he might have just hurt Sanji with his negative behavior, and the guy didn’t deserve it at all. 

“You probably have your reasons. You’re not a bad guy Zoro, you are straight forward and brutally honest, but you are also kind and caring, and nothing, and I mean NOTHING, you have done can scare me away. You can not tell me, and that would be ok, I will wait until you want to tell me, or you can never tell me and that would also be ok, but you can also tell me and I promise you I will help you as good as I can.”

What the fuck did he do to deserve such a good friend? Zoro felt like crying again, because of the shame, because of the position he was in, because of… 

“How did you enter my house?”

“Oh, through the window. Sanji came to me with your backpack and told me you were in a hurry to get home and forgot it in the class. He also asked me to check your arm and assure you were well. Can I see?”

Zoro nodded because he could not talk again, he was weeping. Sanji has thought about him and his wellbeing and he has been just an ass to the guy.

“You’re just bruised a little, but why are your muscles so tense? Did you train till you fell again Zoro?”

It was the drop that filled the glass. The worry from his friend’s voice was the last push he needed.

“I think I like someone.”

“Oh, is she pretty?”

“Um, yes the person is very nice, was nothing but nice to me since we met and I was just an ass to … the person.”

“Why, if you like her?”

“Because…. “

His friendship was going to end, Luffy will not be his friend anymore if he told him the truth, he was going to think he was a freak and not talk to him anymore. He couldn’t do it.

“Zoro breathe! You are scaring me. If you don’t want to talk don’t talk. Zoro, look at me!”

Zoro opened his eyes, not realizing he closed them, and the friendly face and warm smile did him in.

“Because he is a man.”


	3. Tum tum tum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a big chapter, but a lot of info :D

“Oh? Is that so?”

“Yeah, and I know it’s not normal and …”

“It’s not normal? Why is that?”

“Because men must marry women and have babies.”

“Oh, yeah. That’s what everyone thinks. But you see, I realized something, the heart and the brain are different, they don’t like each other sometimes. My brain tells me I could die someday because I eat so much meat, but I don’t listen to my brain because I go just with my heart.”

“But … what?”

“Look, you know I’m not really smart and all, but it’s because I never listen to my brain, I only listen to my heart. And my heart loves meat. So what if everyone says you should marry a woman if your heart tells you you love a man, then you love a man, and you will suffer if you listen to your brain and not your heart, or at least make peace between them. Come on Zoro I thought you knew this! Why would you meditate so much if you are in a storm daily?”

Zoro didn’t believe what his friend told him, didn’t believe it was possible to be as simple as the little man was saying but… what if it was? What if he was afraid for nothing all this time?

“You … don’t think it’s weird?”

“Well, no. But if you like a guy, why did you meet with all those girls? Was is your brain again? Zoro you are really heart stupid, but I am brain stupid so maybe we complement each other. Shishishi!”

“I am … stupid. But .. I thought that … my friends would … but you are not and … now I don’t know anymore.”

His head was a total whirlwind, his heart was beating fast and he had a hole the size of a country in his belly. He was totally in his head when Luffy answered the phone and didn’t even realize a conversation was over when Luffy starting dragging him out of his dormitory.

“Come on, Zoro! Nami said she will give me her sandwich if I bring you along.”

“Huh, where?”

“Haven’t you heard me? We’re meeting at the Sunny.”

“Ummm… I don’t know if it is such a good idea, I have to … think … or no not to think but maybe think a little with my … heart? God, this sounds so stupid.”

“That’s what nights are for, the days are to play with your friends. I always think with my brain at night before sleep, and I feel better the day.”

“Luffy, you must promise me you won’t tell anyone about this!”

“Yeah, yeah, why would I say something? It’s your heart and your brain, you decide when we can hear your thoughts. But remember Zoro, we are nakama, we don’t hurt each other. Now come! Food awaits!”

Zoro couldn’t hold himself and started laughing and crying a little at the same time. He loved this little man, he loved him with all his heart and brain, God it sounded so stupid.

They made it at Sunny in record time and before they entered the booth that was reserved for them every day Sanji’s voice could be heard, along with Zoro’s name. Zoro caught Luffy, covered his mouth with his hand and signaled him to be silent.

“So what’s with the marimo? I mean he’s a little brutish and all but I believe there are a lot of girls that would want to be with him, but since I came here I never saw him with anyone.”

“Oh, Zoro had a lot of girls,” It was Robin’s voice. “ but you see they never last. His longest relationship was what, two months or something?”

“Yeah, I know that one. He was so angry all the time, and they fought a lot. What was her name?”

Nami was sticking her nose in other’s business as always.

“Oh yeah, I remembered, Tashigi! That girl was so shy in the beginning and the broke up so nasty, with yells and fights and …”

“What??? The marimo hit a woman?”

“No, he didn’t hit her they had a sword fight while yelling and screaming. Zoro never wanted to tell us why they broke up but I can bet that it was her fault.”

It was really quiet after that, no one saying a thing. Even Luffy was quiet, but he was looking at him with questioning eyes. He released the other’s mouth and entered the room slowly, he looked at everyone and just stopped thinking.

“It was not her fault, as it was not any of those women I dated fault, the break up’s were all my fault.”

“But Zoro…”

Nami tried to say something but Robin gripped her hand and made her shut up. The woman had a smile on her lips that translated it I know your secret.

Zoro closed his eyes, sighed again, and released all his dark thoughts.

“It was never their fault they became jealous because I was not paying attention to them and seemed as if I was looking at other, it was never their fault that they had the impression they were not good enough, it was not their fault they felt their body was not enough to excite me, it was always my fault.”

Zoro opened his eyes and looked at the really curious, but confused faces. Luffy was ok, but what if the other weren’t? His friends have become a really important part of his life, and maybe they would not be ok with what he was about to say, what would he do next? Make other friends? He couldn’t, he was never good at that and he didn’t want other friends. He was so caught in his thoughts, he didn’t see his little friend Chopper, his almost little brother, coming close to him and taking his hand. 

“What is wrong Zoro? Why do you think is your fault? Are you sick? Can I help you with something? Maybe a pill could help.”

Zoro smiled a sad smile, he knew what he had to do, he was no coward, but he knew that even one of his friends would abandon him, and their friendship, he would hurt really bad, so expecting at least a nasty reaction, best-case scenario, and all of them rejecting him, worst-case scenario, he opened his eyes. Tears spilled from them, but he didn’t bother hiding them or whipping them off. He saw Sanji get on his feet and preparing to come at him, but Luffy stopped him.

“Those girls had no fault I was born a little … strange. I … I always knew … I tried … but …. “

His thoughts were a mess, his feelings were fluctuating and his heart was beating hard. Could he do it? He didn’t think he could, he was no coward but … he already lost Kuina, could he lose someone close to him again? He was breathing on his mouth and he was scared, he heard Sanji screaming in the background, but he didn’t understand what the man was saying, he was really dizzy and felt like puking. He never realized he fell on the floor, but he was sitting and someone put a bag on his mouth, making it a little bit easier to breathe. He opened his eyes and saw Sanji, felt his arm holding him, and he was talking but he had no idea what, he couldn’t understand a word he was saying. The man took his hand and put it on his chest, inspiring and then letting it out, inspiring and then letting it out. He started copying the man without realizing, and after a few breaths he started hearing noises again, three breaths later he could understand.

“That’s right marimo, come on, again breathe and let it out, nice and easy.”

Chopper came back, ( when did he leave? ) and started talking to him.

“Zoro can you hear me? Blink once if yes, twice if no.”

He blinked once, almost hearing everyone from the room breathing relieved. 

“Do you think you can breathe without a bag? Blink.”

He blinked again and Sanji, that never moved from his side, let the bag slowly down as if prepared for another attack. 

“Zoro, I want you to take this pill and keep it under your tongue, ok?”

Chopper was fussing over him, taking his pressure and heart rate but Sanji was unmoving, even when he was asked to leave, he never did.

“Sanji I want to check something, you can leave him to me …”

“Sorry Chop buddy but I can’t.”

“Yes, you can I know what I am doing and …”

“Trust me I can’t, I know it will be very hurtful what I’m about to say but I think fussing over him will do no good. You gave him the pill, he is a little better but he can go back to that state in the blink of an eye.”

“Do you also want to become a doctor Sanji, or …?”

Robin let her question incomplete on purpose. Yeah, she also recognized the signs, she knew the man was right and yes Zoro didn’t need fussing and agitation right now but a calm hand, like the one Sanji was keeping on Zoro, slowly petting his back, and a calm voice to tell him everything will be alright.

“Yeah, I know the signs. He just had a panic attack, so please give him some space to breathe.”

“But how do you know Sanji?”

“Because when I was little I had panic disorder.”


	4. All Blue

Sanji smiled softly, looking at a point on the wall in front of him.

“And now mosshead and I are going shopping, we need ingredients for a Japanese dinner where you will all be invited.”

“Huh…I am?”

“Yes, you are! Let’s go!”

Chopper opened his mouth to say something, his eyes already weeping, but Robin was there to soothe the little man and stop him from protesting.

Sanji took Zoro’s hand and took him out. HE realized he was still out of it, but he knew he needed a distraction. He found his cigarettes in his front pocket, opened the lid, took one with his mouth, put the pack in its place and light it, not letting go to Zoro’s hand one second. The man was in thought as if he was not even there, but Sanji could handle this. He now understood his father, he understood all the times he lied they needed something from the market or invented a reason to leave town and travel somewhere, it was his way of bringing little Sanji back, back to the happy child he was, away from the scared little person that kept trying to invade his body, and he made it. His father might have not the best solutions all the time, screaming and throwing things, but it worked, he always brought him back, till the day he didn’t need to be brought back anymore. And now this strong, prideful, lost man needed the same treatment and Sanji was more than glad to do it. 

They were walking for 5 minutes when people started looking at them, at their hands interlocked together. It took 10 minutes for Zoro to try to get away from his hand and touch, but Sanji wouldn’t have it. He let go of the hand just because it was too soon, the man was not even ready to … Well, it was not his job to make him be ready, his job was now to make the man forget, to come back and realize he was not alone in this. He moved it on the other’s back, not hugging or petting, just holding his palm on the middle of his back.

“Hey, mosshead!”

“Mmm?”

“I bet you can’t even tell the difference between wasabi from horseradish.”

“I … how could I not know you curly bastard? You forget I am Japanese or have you looked in a mirror and hypnotized yourself?”

If Sanji didn’t know his mission, making the man forget the place he entered, he would have been so mad. But he remembered, he had a distraction to make and he would be good at it.

“Did you know that 95% of the sushi restaurants give you the fake thing?”

“Well … yeah.”

He didn’t like that voice, it was far away and a little bit sad. 

“How so? Spat fire because of it in the past?”

“Um, no. I’m pretty good with hot foods. My childhood friend and I would get in trouble lots of times when we were not training. And our punishment was planting in the garden and meditating while doing it. One of those times, Kuina seemed almost happy she had been punished and came from her room with a root-like plant. She asked me to help and we made a puddle like area where she put the green thing with roots. She was always looking after the thing, and after a while, maybe one year, maybe two I don’t know, she pulled it out and show it to me.”

“And? What did you do?”

“Nothing. She turned it into a paste and asked me to eat it with the onigiri. And it was really awesome, because it was hot but … not … just in your mouth, not when swallowing. And it felt really… plant-like, it also has a taste not just hot. I don’t know … I …”

“Yeah, you described it really well.”

“How do you know?”

“For me to learn a lot about the kitchen and cooking, my old man took me in a lot of places, farms included. In one of those farms I tasted real wasabi, and it was exactly as you described it. Shame you can’t find it around here. But sushi can be made with a lot of things and that’s what we’re doing.”

“We?”

“Well yeah, we are going to a fish market right now and then to my place.”

He felt Zoro’s back muscles strain. Did he not want to go with him? No, the man was still walking, even though a bit stiff. So the fish was not the problem either, so that meant his house was the problem. But why …? Oh, the whole discussion thing.

“The guys will be there also after a while.”

The man relaxed a bit after hearing his words. 

“Ok, sure.”

“Oh, we’re almost here.”

They entered Sanji’s favorite market, the one that brought fish in the morning and the evening, freshly fished that day. He took Zoro’s hand again and he felt the other try to get his hand away but he didn’t let go, the market was full and they could get lost easily, and Zoro’s sense of direction was legendary. 

“DO you know what we’re looking for mosshead?”

“Nori, rice, fish?”

“Sooo, we’re looking for dried you?”

“HEY! I am no nori!”

“The seaweed on your head says otherwise.”

Sanji was laughing and observing. The man didn’t try to get his hand away anymore, even though they were fighting, he was really present and even a bit curious. They should have some fun. 

“Do you like roe?”

“Yeah, but the good ones are pretty hard to find.”

“Marimo, you are here with a chef, don’t offend me.”

“Oh, so I came with a cook at the market and now I should feel honored?”

“Of course you should, and it’s chef not cook.”

For a minute Sanji really felt offended, but then he rose his head quickly hearing the other laugh. It made him smile, they will have so much fun. Insulting, shopping and explaining, Sanji was totally in his element and he felt the other following his example. 

“Look there! Best roe in this market, fresh too. Gin my man, how are you?”

The mentioned man smiled and approached Sanji, but his smile was quickly turned into a frown when he saw their hands together. Sanji almost swore out loud, he tended to forget that Gin liked him. Zoro was panicking again, struggling to let go, and Sanji let him for only one second, putting his hand in the other’s back again, making a little pet like movement. 

“Tell me you have some fresh roe, we need it badly!”

“For you? Even if I would not have it, I would personally go deep, catch some fish and find it.”

“I knew I could count on you.”

Zoro was looking at the man, a mix of disgust, wonder and something else, Sanji could not name it. He then looked at the fish and his eyes got big.

“Oh, he has fresh tuna also.”

“Oh, so the moss knows the fishes a bit. Yeah, that’s a big nice tuna. Gin put the tuna in the bag also. What would you like to eat? You never told me.”

“I like sashimi a lot, onigiri also.”

“Any kind of sushi?”

“Well, yeah. But I’m not picky. What’s that?”

“Oh, where?”

“The gross thing on the left.”

Wanting to see what Zoro was referring to, Sanji got really close and looked on the table.

“Oh, you mean the hoya?”

He turned his head, and Zoro was right there, really close, wide-eyed, looking at him. Not displeased with their closure, Sanji smiled and answered.

“That’s sea pineapple.”

A noise came from their salesman. He was snarling and giving Zoro a nasty look. Sanji didn’t like it, not one bit, he wanted his trip with Zoro to be nice and relaxing. While he was thinking this he missed the look Zoro threw at the other, so the words that came from his mouth were such a big surprise.

“Is there a problem?”

His tone was cold and threatening. 

“Yeah, there is. You’re too close to Sanji and …”

Sanji got back from his shock and reacted fast.

“Gin, what the fuck is wrong with you today?”

Shouting at the man, he got himself another cigarette and light it while looking him in the eyes.

“But Sanji, you never let me get this close to you and …”

Zoro tried to make some space between then, while still glaring at the other. Sanji had none of it. He moved his hand from Zoro’s back to his hip and made him get even closer. 

“The partners I bring here are none of your business, now tell us how much do we owe you so you can get back to your job.”

Sanji realized he was being watched by both men. One look was shocked, angered and offended. The other was shocked, confused and maybe a bit happy. They left the man as soon as they paid, Sanji grabbing Zoro’s hand again going through people and stalls. He felt happy when the other stopped him and asked him questions, the shopping trip managed to be better than he believed it would be. 

They were walking to Sanji’s house, that was above his father’s restaurant, they were play-fighting when Zoro stopped in the middle of the road.

“What’s wrong mosshead? Tired already?”

Sanji was worried, was it another panic attack? But from what? He had to stay calm and help the other get over it. 

“Why …?”

“What are you saying there marimo? Talk louder!”

“Why did you tell that guy I was your partner?”

Oh! So Zoro was bothered by that comment.

“I didn’t mean to make you feel …”

“Answer the question curly!”

“Because today you were my partner, you came with me to the market, you help me carry the bags and we’re going home cooking. Is there a problem?”

Zoro looked at him, trying to put his thoughts in words, but not managing it. He started trembling and Sanji realized that if he didn’t do anything, the man would get right back to his feeling from that morning. So he did what he knew best, pushed the other’s buttons.

“I understand you think I am too good looking for you…”

“Hey, shut it!”

“Or maybe you think I am too smart?”

“HEY!”

“Oh, I know! Maybe you think that moss and human won’t get well together…”

Zoro pushed him really hard on a wall nearby, looking as if he was about to kill him. Good, anger meant no fear.

“I said shut it curly!”

“Make me!”

Zoro shouted in rage, let his bags on the ground and tried to punch him, but Sanji was expecting it, and so he was faster. He evaded the punch last second, going under it and with his foot hit the man and blocked him on the wall. 

“Now stay there and calm the fuck down. What’s the problem? Are you really so grossed out that you make all this ruckus?”

“You asshole, you don’t know!”

Zoro was struggling hard to get away from his leg, but Sanji knew he won’t be able, not now, when he was in this weak state of mind. 

“I don’t know what?”

“You don’t have any idea and …”

“How do you know?”

“Because you don’t, you’ve not been there and …”

“Been there, done that, bought the shirt mossie, get with the program.”

“Huh…? No, you don’t know what you are talking about and they don’t either and I couldn’t tell them. I thought I was stronger, but I’m not, I’m gonna lose them and …”

Sanji felt the man was shaking, he had to do something before the fear entered the man’s mind again. 

“Let’s go, we have just 10 minutes to walk and then we’ll talk. Not here.”

He took the other’s hand, but this time, instead of just taking his hand, he interlinked their fingers, knowing he would shock the man, knowing that he would be quiet and walk without asking questions. They got there in 8 minutes. 

“Old man, please one bottle of sake upstairs. I will pay it from my wage.”

His father yelled from the kitchen

“Who do you think you’re ordering around, you little …?”

“Zeff, All Blue!”

It was always their signal word when he was little and had attacks. His father got out, his eyes got bigger.

“You?”

“No, him!”

“OK.”

So Sanji dragged Zoro in his room, let him fell on the bed, got both his hands in his and looked into his eyes. 

“I told my father I liked men when I was 8.”


	5. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A heart-whelming conversation

The moment the words got out, a hard knock was heard from the door. Sanji hurried to open it, his father entering the room with a tray with two chokos and one tokkuri.

Sanji’s father looked at him and then asked his son.

“Can you handle him?”

“Yeah, it’s fine.”

“He seems pretty out of it. You sure you’re ok?”

“Yeah, yeah, old man, I’m used to it.”

“Ungrateful child.”

The man left the room muttering. Sanji opened the window, lit up his cigarette and poured some sake.  
Zoro almost moaned at the smell of good quality sake. Sanji just smiled.

“If he brought good quality sake, it means he is really worried.”

Zoro looked at Sanji as he was pouring the drinks and felt as if he was watching a geisha, the way he was handling the bottle and the drink, it all enchanted him, and that feeling alone made him relax a little. He was still in the boy’s room, so he was kind of nervous, but it was less than before. He felt crushed when he tried to tell his friends the truth and couldn’t. He felt like a coward now, but the man in front of him made him curious about what he said before they were interrupted, so now he felt numb. He would patiently wait until the boy wanted to tell him the story. He was so encaged in his thoughts that he hadn’t realized the other was talking with him.

“Hey, mosshead! Still here with me?”

“Huh?”

“Here!”

He was handled a choko with steaming sake.

“Really now, you ok?”

Zoro thought about it, and he didn’t think he was ok, he was still scared and afraid that his whole world will crumble again, and even though he never forgot the pain and it was still there, he never wanted to experience it on its true e force.

“I don’t know.”

Sanji looked at the boy in front of him. He looked so … small. Even though the guy was usually quiet, when he was needed he was the bravest of them all, he was transforming in this three-headed monster, with 6 arms and 9 swords, who would fight the whole world for his friends. The first time he saw that he was so amazed. He also helped in that fight, when a gang from the high school CP9 wanted to take beautiful Robin away. He had to fight a guy so hairy, and growling a lot, that you could almost think he was a dog, not to say that he had his nails painted black.

“Well, then let me tell you my story. My mom was strong and beautiful, and I can see why my father felt in love with her.”

Zoro didn’t understand why was the blond telling him this but he listened.

“She had my sister, and the doctor told her that she might be the first and the last child. My father was horrified to hear that, he wanted a big family for them to rule over the city, and my mom just wanted another brother or sister for her first child.”

“Wha …?”

“Let me finish, marimo. So when she could not maintain any pregnancy anymore, her body refusing another being, they tried vitro fertilization, and it worked. 9 months later my mom had quadruplets, all boys. One of them was I. My mom got really sick and stayed in bed all the time, and my father forgot about her and tried to train us military-style, because he believed that our genes were from him, so we should be strong. I had my mother's genes, and I was weak. My father resented me and asked my brothers to train on me.  
I’m not sure how old I was when I discovered the kitchen, but I remember clearly I once cooked for mom and even though it was garbage she ate it all. That’s why I continued to do it, which brought my father’s anger that believed that cooking was for women.”

Sanji stopped and breathed. He lifted his head the first time from the moment he started the story and looked at the other and the look in the other’s eyes was neither mercy nor pity, but a shadow of the feeling he was trying to keep in his chest, trying to not let it drown him. The same feeling of loss.

“My mother died.”

He felt his eyes wetting, and then his cheeks, but he didn’t stop the liquid. 

“That night my panic attacks started, and with them, the bullying from my brothers got worse. I couldn’t go to the kitchen anymore, and not too soon my father decided he didn’t need me, so he threw me in the basement of the house. I was afraid all the time, I was crying, I was pathetic …”

“No, you weren’t!”

“How can you say that? I was there crying and not being able to save myself, and then my brothers found me again and the beating got worse and … I would have died if my sister didn’t help me.”

“And that’s why I’m saying you were not, because you are still alive.”

Zoro looked at the other man, the man who spread joy and color around him, who laughed so easily and made the others laugh, the man who he felt in love and felt his pain. He wanted to go and hug him and hold him close, but he didn’t move. Maybe the other man wouldn’t have liked that, so he stayed at his place and listened, trying really hard to keep his tears in. The blond lifted his head again and smiled a little.

“Yeah, maybe you are right. My old man saved me, he adopted me and tried really hard to cure me of my panic, in every way possible. And day by day, along with the cooking, swearing, yelling and loving, he did it. And that’s why I took you here to talk, to listen because I know how it is.”

“And you telling him you like men …?”

“Oh, yeah. When he adopted me I was a little shit when I was not having my panic attacks, I didn’t trust him so I tried to make him go away. My father always said that cooking is for women and I screamed it in his face. He screamed back that if you do it with all your heart, it can be for anyone, even shitty brats like me. And women would be happy if someone cooked for them, I would make my wife happy someday. And here it gets hilarious. When you said woman I was always thinking of my mom, frail, beautiful, but I always admired the strength of a man, and even though women should be treasured, and loved, for me, it was always attractive when a man did all of the above. So I yelled that in his face, I asked him who decided in my place that I would have a wife? Maybe I wanted a husband, a strong one who could be by my side and protect each other. The look on his face was priceless. And then he answered me. He told me, if I wanted a husband, then I should cook because the way to a man’s heart is through his belly.”

Zoro was watching the cook slowly laughing, even though the tears from his checks didn’t dry yet. He was beautiful, he was so complex and loving and… Zoro could cry because he didn’t have the guts to tell him. 

“Why did you tell me all of this cook? Do you pity me for being weak and not being able to talk?”

“Did you think I was weak because I cried when I told you my story?”

“No, but …”

“Then why should I think you are weak? You are not the first person I help, but you are the first person I tell all my story to.”

Zoro looked everywhere else but at Sanji, the sake was long gone and he didn’t know what to do, but maybe he could go at the middle and see what happens.

“I don’t know how you lived through that hell, my adoptive father was a good man and his daughter was my best friend. One day I told him that strong men make my blood boil and that I like to watch them fight. As a dojo master, he was a traditional person so the thought of his son being not normal didn’t suit him well. He took me in a corner and told me that I should find a woman, marry her and have children, that was the natural order and that I should aspire to it. Well the girl I liked, his daughter, was strong and I settled on her. I thought all the time that I will one day ask her to marry me. But a stupid accident happened, she fell on some stairs and she died. I … I … “

His friend was losing his words, tears strolling on his face. Sanji wanted to hug him badly, to tell him that everything will be alright but he didn’t know if he was allowed. Should he? He moved closer to the other, almost touching him, but not quite. They were both on the floor, looking at each other and Sanji tried to tell the boy without any words that he was there and he would listen. 

“I lost myself a long period of time. I couldn’t accept it, so I stopped talking to people.”

Zoro’s weeping face transformed in a smile and Sanji was bemused.

“And then I met Luffy and my whole world turned upside down.”

Sanji started laughing silently, put his hand on the other’s and looked him in his eyes.

“Well, now you met me also. Everything is going to be alright.”

“Think so?”

“Mmmm … maybe not if we don’t hurry in the kitchen.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because then Luffy will come and there will be no food.”

Both started laughing and got up, ready to go to make some food. Zoro’s hand was still warm and for the first time ever he thought he will be fine.


	6. But maybe it is attraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a few more chapters guys.
> 
> Thank you for being here with me!

Sanji got the tray with one hand and without thinking got the other’s hand with the other.

“You … you don’t have to do that. I won’t get lost following you.”

The man had a beautiful red shade on his face at the same time he was pouting, trying to appear mean-looking. Sanji laughed a little for himself but didn’t release the hold.

“No way marimo, if I let you go I might have to save you from the neighbors, and I don’t have time for that. The old man probably put the groceries away but now we must cook for the gang. Also, you tell them whatever you want, or don’t tell them at all, rest assured. Ok?”

“Ok, thank you! Where are we going?”

“Just crossing the road, the restaurant in front of the house belongs to my father.”

“He’ll let you cook there?”

“No, he’ll let US cook there.”

“Oh… but … I… kinda… don’t know how to cook.”

“Then you will be my Sous-Chef.”

“Huh?”

“You know, the guy who cuts my onions and cries a river for me.”

“Hmpf… Onions are no problem for me. Maybe I should let you see how a rose petal can be cut in the air.”

Sanji stopped then and turned his head to the other. The proud smirk fits him so well.

“I would like to see that sometimes if you are being honest.”

The other’s ears got red and the smirk worsened, but it was like the boy’s eyes couldn’t keep his. 

“Of course I am honest. Come on cook let’s go see what you can do with a knife.”

Zoro has crossed a lot of boundaries with his crush today but when the man smiled he couldn’t keep his eyes from his lips, the man helped him a lot and he felt he had to do the same someday, but now they were going through a restaurant full of people, holding hands. Sanji seemed unbothered by the looks, even saluting some of the clients he knew. They got in the kitchen and it was loud. Everyone screamed, orders were shouted, knives were moving with the speed of light and the loudest of them all was Sanji’s old man, who wasn’t just loud, he was a force in itself, cooking, shouting and even hitting the guys with his peg leg, not hard enough to leave a wound behind but hard enough to hurt. The man’s eyes stopped on them and watched like a hawk. Sanji was impassive and strolled through all of them to his place. It was a really small open spaced kitchen, with a small fridge, some cookers, and kitchen robots and a rack of knives. Zoro’s eyes stopped on one of them, really sharp, medium-sized. He could have used the bigger ones but those didn’t seem quite the same quality. He realized the knife was in his hand without asking the owner, already testing it. But when he turned to Sanji to ask, the blond smiled and just said he had good taste in blades.   
He felt someone looking at him and when he turned his head, Sanji’s father was staring.

“What?”

“Watch out with that knife.”

“Keep your pants on, old man. He is a kendo fighter.”

“Those wooden playthings can’t cut eggplant.”

“Actually, I’m a first-level black belt Gumdo, Kendo and Iaido.”

“Oh, do you go to competitions?”

“Well, yeah, I have to if I want to get Nidan next year.”

“So you’re a Shodan right now?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Did you hear that Sanji? Maybe you could learn a thing or two from him. What are you listening in, you lazy bastards? Back to work.” 

“Zeff, it’s the first time Sanji has brought a boyfriend home, it’s normal to be curious!”

Sanji got all red to the face, ears, and neck also. For a second Zoro wondered if his chest was the same red, until realizing they were talking about him and got the same color as the blond.

“Nosy bastards, we’re not boyfriends, so get on with your work. Don’t mind them Zoro, just a gang of fools.”

Even though he said that his face was still red and Zoro wondered if he was feeling ashamed or disgusted with the idea. Even though he told him he liked men, that didn’t mean he liked him. 

“Earth to marimo!”

“Huh? Yeah.”

Sanji smiled because even though the man stated that he didn’t like the nickname, he responded to it.

“The rice is ready, you can begin making the onigiri if you want, or you can help me with the fish.”

He gave the man a choice, he didn’t want to presume.

“I can help with the fish, I grew in a small town of fishermen, before we moved here, so I learned a few tricks.”

“Oh, is that so? Then let’s see it.” 

They had all the fish they brought from the market, Sanji didn’t want to think about it. He liked Gin as a friend but the way he behaved today was no fine in his books. Zoro began to cut the fish, cutting the meat from the bone quite well. 

“Ummm…”

“Yeah, marimo? You’re doing well, go on.”

“No, that’s not it. Ummm, what did your father mean when he said that you have to take a page from my book and learn?”

Oh, Sanji thought Zoro was not paying attention, but it seems he was wrong. 

“I went to a few competitions myself, but then gave up.”

“What did you practice? Something with legs, most likely, I saw you fight and you are good.”

Sanji tried really hard not to be content with the praise, but couldn’t.

“Taekwondo and Capoeira, but I don’t do them anymore.”

“Why not?”

Zoro was talking and working, Sanji realized that he hasn’t seen the man do that many things at the same time ever. It could be seen on his body that he was concentrating, but he was speaking casually.

“When my old man had to amputate his leg, it was my entire fault. He is my father, my savior and he sacrificed for me. I have to repay his deed, I don’t have time for anything else.”

“I don’t think he wants that.”

Sanji was angry already. What the fuck did the mosshead know? He had to!

“Well as it’s neither his nor your business, you can stick the idea where it came from and shut it.”

“I bet he doesn’t believe you’re so good at cooking either.”

Sanji caught fire, not realizing what he was doing anymore. He tried to hit the other with one of his feet, but the man blocked him with his forearm, and that’s the moment when Sanji held himself on the table and spin his other leg as to hit the guy on his head. He almost made it but Zoro caught the leg almost hitting his face, but lost his balance and dragged the other down with him. Sanji opened his eyes to realize they were both on the ground, his face almost on the other’s crotch, and Zoro was probably the same. Zeff was looking at them weirdly, Sanji got up and looked at the other. Zoro was red, really red, and lost, he opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. Sanji forgot about all and started laughing. The other man was so confused and puzzled that it was funny. Sanji extended his arm and Zoro looked at it funny, and then at him. 

“Come on mossy, we still have to finish here, have you forgotten? Luffy is coming.”

Zoro got white and took the hand, got on his leg and went to the table to finish what he started. 

“You fight good, it’s a shame you don’t compete anymore, we could have trained together.”

The words were said really in a really low voice, and Sanji wondered if he wanted him to hear it or not. He went to the table and started making the sushi with the pieces Zoro already cut from the tuna.

“I could train with you if you really have no one to train with. But I don’t have the time of anything more.”

Zoro looked at him curiously but didn’t say anything. After he finished cutting the fish, he cleaned the knife and almost put it to his place when Sanji called.

“Do you want to help me?”

“Um, yes? With what?”

“I want you to do some Temaki Sushi.”

“Huh? What’s that?”

“Just some hand-rolled sushi. Look like this.”

Sanji got to his back and showed him how to fill and roll the Nori sheet, what ingredients he could use and how much, and then went to his part of the table and started working like it was normal to almost take someone into your arms just to show the person how to make food. Sanji knew what he was doing, but he hoped he didn’t do too much. Zoro was still skittish and he wanted him to show him that there was no problem with liking men, touching and flirting, he was teaching the other right? He took a look at Zoro and wondered, he was intrigued by the man from the start, his lazy, almost bored way of being, but ready to fight for his friends always, his warrior-like body, his green hair and his way of talking, he was a mystery. But could he actually be attracted to the man? He was definitely not his type, even though he loved rough power, he never really had a boyfriend as powerful as him, and he also liked beauty, and Zoro was not that, but he certainly had dangerous electricity vibrating through his pores. While thinking all of this he was checking the man out, starting with the really steady feet, and not too thick, narrow waist, that was a surprise, defined chest, strong arms, thick neck, and green hair. Zoro turned his head right the moment Sanji was unintentionally licking his lips. His face got so red, that Sanji couldn’t stop himself and got close to the man. 

“You have a little something here.”

Earlier he showed Zoro that he had to taste everything he was cooking with, so a small grain of rice stuck to the corner of his lips. Sanji took it on his finger the moment Zoro wanted to take it with his tongue, the touch sending a little electricity through their bodies. They stopped a moment right as they were, close and as in a trance, Sanji touched his face with his hand again and caressed Zoro’s cheek, while closing the distance a bit more. 

Zoro didn’t know if he should close the distance totally or get back, but he couldn’t take his eyes from the other and couldn’t stop the little tremble he could feel in his body. Sanji smiled, so soft and warm, and his eyes moved to his lips and got stuck there. He never … should he …? When the loud noise was heard he jerked really hard and got a step away from the blond, hating the sigh that he elicited from the cook.

“Eggplant! Your friends are here!”


	7. One bit of everything

Sanji sighed but put on a professional smile on and pushed Zoro to take some plates and go to the group. They were out of place, really loud and everyone was looking at them but Sanji couldn’t care less since he met them it was like he met his lost family or something and he would bring them as often as possible. Plus, customers should be used with noises, because every time the kitchen door would open, a loud wave of noises, and screams could be heard from there. Sanji smiled at his friends, Nami was hitting Luffy on the head, Chopper was listening to Usopp, fanboying around him, Franky was talking with Brook while playing footsies with Robin under the table, Robin winning because sometimes it was like she could grow more members. 

“Thank you for coming guys!”

“How could have we missed it?”

“SUSHI!”

Even with his hands full, Sanji hit Luffy in the face and placed him on his chair without spilling anything. 

“Wait for everyone to get their share, you overgrown monkey! There is enough for everyone since I had the aiding hands of my Sous-chef.”

“Hey!”

“What?”

Zoro seemed he wanted to say something more but he didn’t know what. Sanji tried to hide his smile. 

“Oh, Zoro, I brought your swords.”

“Huh? Why?”

“You forgot them at my place?”

“No, I …”

“So Zoro which one did you make?”

Nami was definitely trying to distract his attention, but she smiled at him when he had the swords at their place, and a big pressure disappeared from his shoulders, visibly calming Zoro down.

“He did a bit of all actually, he helped with a lot of fish skinning and deboning …”

Sanji was looking at him and smiled.

“Hihihi, Zoro did the deboning!”

“Usopp I will debone you if you don’t finish right this instant!”

“Don’t kill me!”

Everyone looked at Sanji shocked, not understanding the level of protectiveness towards Zoro, but understanding at the same time. Everyone got scared when Zoro had that panic attack and everyone was still on their tiptoes around him. But Sanji also didn’t want to spook the man, knowing that he was skittish because the man-liking confession that would or wouldn’t come. Just when Nami opened her mouth to ask or say something a gang of mafia members entered the restaurant yelling and holding guns.

“On your hands and knees, all the valuables in the bag, if you care about your life!”

They were followed by a big, fat leader, with a hunting gun and two guards on his steps. One of them was Gin, and that was the moment Sanji saw red. He felt someone on his side and when he looked Zoro was there, his hands on his swords and an evil smile on his face. 

“You don’t have to help marimo, it is my battle.”

“Oh, but it would be my pleasure to smash the fisherman’s face. He didn’t treat us as customers at all.”

The man’s smile was demonic, and Sanji felt his anger disappearing, a mean laugh exiting his mouth. Not realizing what was happening, Luffy jumped on the big mafia boss, his guards screaming “Don Krieg!” and wanting to intervene. Sanji jumped on Gin, and Zoro on the other guy, guarding each other’s back.

“How could you dare attack my restaurant? I thought we were friends, dude!”

“We were never friends, I just wanted to fuck you, and I thought you also wanted that, every time coming to buy from my place, strutting that tight ass and smiling all the time.”

“How dare you!? I was buying from your place because it’s good not because… not because …!”

From his back, he could hear a small voice, directed to him.

“Hey cook what was that sidestep? Did you trip?”

“What the fuck do you want, marimo?”

“You call that a hit? Come on you hit ME harder than that!”

“Because you deserve it!”

“Haha, do I? Watch out not to rip your pants, your precious ladies are here too.”

“I WON’T!”

Sanji turned around at the same time with Zoro, hitting him in the head but getting just his swords. The man had the audacity to SMILE! Oh my God, was Zoro flirting with him? Yeah, Sanji thought he was, in his own way. Did he even realize he was doing it? His dark-green eyes were now almost gold, his body was relaxed and he had that sexy smile on his face. 

“How much of a whore can you be? Distracting his attention even in battle!”

All the nice feelings were gone. Sanji was red from anger, hitting back with vengeance. Gin got up from a hit and held up a gun in the blonde’s face.

“Can you imagine how many times I held boss from coming to rob this place because I thought I had a chance at you? I held so much just for you to come to my place and be all lovey-dovey with that plant there, and even now, in a battle, you have eyes just for him! The fuck did he do, sucked you really well? I could have done that long time ago!”

He could feel on his back Zoro’s body temperature rising. He could bet the man’s face was really red and he had his mouth agape just thinking about sucking him. 

“Hey, knock it off or I’ll be really mad and you won’t get away from here on your own legs! Only I am allowed to call him names.”

“Yeah? Then call THIS a name!”

Gin gets a double-barreled shotgun to his head. Sanji is stunned for just a second, enough for Zoro, who was paying attention all this time to just swirl the blond around and let him fight his former opponent while he ended face to face with Gin. The next second the man’s gun was cut in half, having time to shut just one round, just scraping Zoro’s shoulder a little. 

“Hey, I can handle him, you big stupid oaf!”

“Metal goes better with metal curly, not with flesh.”

“YUHUUUU!” 

It’s was Luffy’s cry of victory, everyone else seemed to have beaten their counterpart, but somehow Gin got out of the sword’s man's eyes and ran through the door. 

“I called the police, you should shoo. I will handle it from here. Oh, and eggplant?”

“What now old man?”

“Take care of your friend’s wound. He took it in your place.”

“Huh, what wound?”

Sanji looked around and everybody looked fine but then he realized Zoro was kinda hiding one part of his body. 

“Oh, for crying out loud! You’re coming with me! Idiots and beautiful ladies, we will see each other at school on Monday!”

“But Sanjiiiii!!!! There are two more days and there is no more food!”

“Another time Luffy!”

“Sanji… Take care of Zoro! Shishishi… Nami wait for meeeeee!”

The sirens could be heard in the background, they had just enough time to run away. Sanji took Zoro’s hand again and dragged him to his house the second time that day. The other man said nothing and Sanji was scared that the wound was worse than he thought. He pulled the other on the couch and went into the bathroom for the med-pack. When he returned the man was in deep thought. Sanji took his chin in his hand and lifted his head. Those eyes were on his in a second, as if searching for something there. While disinfecting the little scratch, it really was tiny so the man was not in pain. Maybe he was scared? He had to know so he could help, the man will have a heart attack because of so many feelings in one day. It was almost dark outside, so he thought he will keep Zoro there and force him to talk.

“It’s dark outside marimo, you will stay here tonight, ok?”

“Yeah …Ok.”

The voice was small and so uncharacteristic for the demon fighter. They went upstairs to his room, where Sanji borrowed him some clothes and a towel and sent him to the bathroom. He had a queen bed so it was no problem there. He went downstairs to his father bathroom, he won’t be home for some good hours because the restaurant and the problem with the police so he could use the shower, when he got out he found Zoro in the DOWNSTAIRS kitchen, looking lost as fuck. 

“Could you please tell me how can you miss a door RIGHT AHEAD but came DOWNSTAIRS?”

“Umm… I wasn’t thinking and … my feet got myself here?”

Sanji sighed and laughed at the same time. 

“Well we have to eat anyway, so get yourself a chair and start talking while I heat something up.”

“Start talking?”

“Yeah, you know, the thing civilized humans do to communicate?”

“I know what talking is curly, what about?”

“I don’t know, maybe why are you looking at me as if I was the one hurt because of you, not the other way around?”

“Because you were.”

“Um, I’m not the one with a wound on my shoulder? So, what do you mean? And remember if it’s too much, or you feel again like this morning we could talk about something else.”

“Don’t coddle me cook I’m fine! The wound is nothing, it is just a scratch, don’t even feel it anymore. But you were hurt because of me, you took me with you to the market just to make me think about something else than my fear of telling the others that … telling the others. He was your friend and because of me you and your father got in this mess.”

“That’s all?”

“What do you mean that’s all? It’s enough as it is, stupid curly brow!”

“Well idiot marimo, maybe you start listening because he was not my friend!”

“What? But he said…?”

“The things others think about me is none of my business, keep this well in mind. Yeah, he was the place from where I was getting my fish, yeah I realized he liked me and so I just talked with him, but I never gave him any reason to think I want a relationship or sleep with him. So it could have been anyone, it could have been Luffy even. Do you realize if he saw the way Luffy clings to me and asks me to feed him?”

Zoro made a face of horror and then started laughing.

“It would have been a show worth watching! I wonder why he didn’t react to the way you swoon to girls.”

“Maybe because he wanted to fuck me, not be fucked by me so it didn’t matter … and I don’t even want to hear you about girls, you should learn to treat them better, you barbarian!”

Zoro was quiet and Sanji didn’t realize why until he looked at the man. He was really red-faced. But at the same time amazed, his mouth open as if wanting to say something but not knowing if he could.

“Out with it, what?”

“Well, … you’re clearly more strong than him.”

“Well yeah, so?”

“So why should he … be the one to … ?”

“Fuck me?”

“Well…yeah.”

“I know many men, much stronger than me, that want to be the ones held and fucked, loved and pampered. There’s no rule that says that if you are stronger you have to be the one who sticks his penis in. Many gay relationships change once in a while, some don’t. Have you finished eating? I have to wash those.”

“Let me help.”

“OK, I wash, you dry. Take this towel.”

“So … there’s no rule?”

“No, both ways can be good.”

They clean the kitchen in silence and went to the bedroom, both tired of the day, too many things happened.

“You’ll sleep with me, the bed is large enough. My old man should be at home any minute, so don’t get scared. He is a little noisy after a day of work, drinking sometimes. I learned to not let it bother me anymore.”

“Is he violent?”

“Oh, noooooo! You might hear him sing sailor’s songs or laugh out loud, he is talking with his wife usually. He loved her really much but lost her, I never asked him what that meant.”

Zoro got in the bed, sitting as far away from Sanji as possible. Even though the blond thought the troubles that day were not his fault, he didn’t want to create others. He felt asleep thinking at the day and how weird it had been.

Zeff arrived home much later than he would have liked but at least the next day he didn’t have to open the restaurant because the police said they should check again in the daylight for clues of the men that got away. He got his rum from under the sink and poured himself a glass while talking to his dear. He loved her very much, but that was not enough. As glasses of alcohol were drank, his voice got louder. He never cried, but his tears always poured. He got up and headed to bed, but then remembering that the string bean had a guest, he just went to check if everything was fine. What he found in his son’s room made his tears flow again, but smiling he closed the door. Zoro’s head was on Sanji’s shoulder, his son holding the other on his chest with both arms, securely. They will be good for each other.


	8. The one who will make the first step ( part 1 )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long story short, my boyfriend had to have foot surgery, and I had to take care of everything in the house including him. No need to say I had no time to write. So ... sorry!

When Sanji woke up, he was feeling really content, he softly sighed and embraced the person in his arms a bit stronger. When a soft but manly sigh was heard in the room, Sanji opened his eyes, remembering everything that happened. Zoro was still sleeping soundly. The blond was so confused as to what to do further. He slowly got out of bed and exited the room, going for the kitchen. Coffee was overdue already and he hoped it would clear his mind a bit. There he found his dad doing breakfast.

“What are you doing here old man? Don’t you have a restaurant to open?”

“The police will be there later, much later. Why did you wake up? Go back to sleep, I will call you when food is ready.”

“No need, let me help.”

They worked in silence for a while, but the old man had his concerns. 

“Are you keeping him here this weekend?”

“I’ll try but I don’t know what he wants or what’s in his marimo head.”

There was silence again so when the question was asked, it seemed a lot louder.

“Will you ask him out?”

“What the fuck old man, don’t ask something like that! I just got him out of his attacks and he was in denying until now and …”

“But you do like him, don’t you?”

“What’s with the shitty questions? Haven’t you heard what I said earlier?”

“I heard but I also saw you in the restaurant’s kitchen play-fighting and weirdly flirting, and he was giving you the looks.”

“I … it’s not so easy.”

“What’s there so complicated about it? You go, you ask, you kiss, happy ending!”

“Look, yeah, I might like him a bit, but .. he’s far in the closet like he didn’t want to accept that he is like that at all because his adoptive father told him boys marry girls and do kids with them and he took it to the heart. He was dating girls for fuck’s sake just to make his friends think he was normal.”

“Ok, not ok but, so…? Where’s the problem with you wooing him?”

“So, don’t you see? Let’s say I try to spend time with him, and we become close and eventually I ask him out, what if he doesn’t like me but because we are close and he knows me, he accepts because it’s easier this way? It’s like I’m taking his chance at being with someone he really wants to be with and likes.”

Sanji desperately looks at his elder and tries to make him understand all his worries and insecurities, but the man is untouched, looking at him unimpressed.

“So, you’ll just give up?”

Sanji’s eyes got big and his mouth opened.

“Are you really that old that you got deaf? I said I don’t want to steal his first real relationship with a person he really likes.”

“So what about the fact that you really like him? Does that not matter just because he is exploring? What if he goes in the wrong direction with this? What if he gets hurt so bad he won’t be able to enjoy either gender?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Now he’s scared to talk with his friends, ashamed even, so he’ll try his first steps far away from home. What do you think it will happen?”

“I … don’t know.”

“I’ll tell you, there is a possibility all things go well and he evolves, but what if not? What if he ends up in one of those gay bars where everything is permitted? Hmmm, looking at him you think anyone will try to take him slowly? No, anyone who looks at him thinks that he could handle it.”

The man made a pause and looked at his stubborn son, who was all white and eyes big.

“Do you really want to let it be luck his first try with a man? I don’t even talk about sex now, but the first things like holding hands and kissing. He’s scared and vulnerable, he might not know if he should say no or not because he doesn’t know how to be with another man. I saw you on your first relationships, I know that someone trying to hide his relationship with you will hurt because I was there when you were crying because God knows who didn’t want to hold hands because it was weird, or that another prick was grossed out you wanted to kiss him, remember it was still me there to get you back. I might not know a lot about gay relationships eggplant, but I know how much it can hurt. Think well eggplant and do what your heart tells you.”

It was quiet all of a sudden. Sanji never thought that far, but the man was right, there are so many bad people in this world, and Sanji was sure that Zoro had absolutely no one to talk to about this subject or potential relationships. 

Hard steps could be heard from the stairs and an adorably sleepy Zoro came down, eyes almost closed and puffy, messy greed hair and yawning hard. He sat at the table, mumbled a “Mornin’” and put his head on his arms. Sanji couldn’t hold the smile that spread on his face, the man was too damn cute. He filled two cups of coffee while his father was already filling the table with breakfast goodies. Zoro lifted his head at the smell of food, his stomach growling hard. The blonds couldn’t stop their laugh. All three ate in a pleasant silence. 

Some days passed, things got back to normal, Zoro didn’t say a thing and Sanji was still confused if he should try to get closer to Zoro or not. The police managed to catch the ones that broke his restaurant, but at the same time, he was missing Jin’s fresh fish. At the moment all the gang was at Luffy’s house, playing some video games, talking and simply relaxing. Just one more week until Christmas vacation, and Sanji wondered briefly if Zoro would go home. He felt a bit sad at the thought that he will definitely will. Nami lifted her head from her phone and searched through them with her look.  
“Zoro, are you dating anyone at the moment?”

The man got white, and then red.

“Why do you want to know witch?”

“I have a friend that just got solo, the dude was such an asshole, and I was thinking of giving her your number. Really now the girl is hot as fuck and a cutie.”

“Don’t!”

“Oh, come on you loner, you need to have fun some times.”

“I said don’t and that’s it.”

“But …”

Sanji was listening and noticed that the green-haired man was redder and redder. He wanted to intervene but he knew it was not his place. 

Zoro got op and prepared to leave.

“What is wrong with you? She really is pretty why not?”

Nami was not giving up, and the man was furious.

“You know why? Because I don’t want to date girls anymore!”

Sanji felt his mouth open and eyes bulge, he couldn’t believe his ears.

“And that’s available for all of you. No number sharing, and I mean my personal number, no more blind dating, no more nothing! I won’t date girls anymore.”

After yelling at everyone’s faces, the man got his boots on and left the house.  
All of a sudden Luffy was at the door, opened it and yelled after his friend something that made almost everyone’s jaws fall on the floor.

“HOW ABOUT GUYS?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in other order of ideas, thank you very much for still being here and reading this. 
> 
> No, I don't know how many chapters there will be.


	9. And so it begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why couldn't she let him be? 
> 
> Oh great, Sanji was there, just what he needed ( eyes rolling )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas! 
> 
> I hope this little gift to bring the smile on your lips :D.
> 
> Have a happy new year and all your wishes to come true.
> 
> On with the story ;)

Sanji was walking through the city, content with himself. The gifts he bought for his family were really well received, even his old man smiled under his mustache. He was so content remembering it, looked around and realized that he was where he wanted to be, in the park with the ice skating rink. He needed to think and concentrate, to come with a plan.   
They couldn’t contact Zoro since he suddenly left that day. They tried calling him on his phone that day and the day after, but it remained closed, continually answering with “The client you have called is not available. Please leave a message after the tone.” They even done that, left a message, nothing helped.   
The third day Sanji and Luffy tried to go to his dorm, but they were told that the guy left home two days ago. They were all worried, and though Sanji could think best when swimming, ice skating would also help so he got his skates on his shoulder and left the house. He had no idea how to get in touch with the man if he needed help or … if he should be the one to offer it again. While walking through the park, he could hear the children having fun, the carols and the couples fighting … wait, couples fighting?   
“You really don’t understand.”

Did he recognize the voice? Could it be…?

“I came because wanted to talk and I came because we broke up yelling but … I’m not here to …”

“Yes, we broke up screaming but we can give this another chance. You were an asshole to me, you owe me this.”

Sanji hurried his step, passing through lights and children, and found Zoro and a beautiful, busty brunette, with red glasses, violet shirt, and blue jeans, wearing a long, pink jacket over and … a sword at her hip? He was blocked in place, the girl was really hot, and looked so good besides Zoro. But the man had a face of nervousness, scared, angry and maybe trapped. The girl was in his face, one finger between them, her face showing confidence and stubbornness, but the second she got one step back, she tripped on her own sword and fell. Zoro just face-palmed himself[, not even helping her out. 

Sanji took mercy of the poor marimo, who tried to get away from the girl but couldn’t.

“Mosshead!”

Zoro turned around a hopeful smile on his lips, before changing it one second later, in an angry one.

“Who are you calling mosshead, you dartboard?”

“A guy with no manners, who doesn’t know how to treat a lady.”

He offered his hand and helped the girl get up, her back to the other. 

“Please excuse this pathetic trying of a man, and let me introduce myself miss, I am Sanji, nice to make your acquaintance.”  
While saying this, he smoothly signaled the other to leave, trying to not be seen by the girl. 

“Um, Tashigi, nice to meet you.”

Zoro understanding the sign, thank God, was trying to go away from the girl, or maybe from both of them. Sanji opened his mouth to talk to the girl until the other could not be seen anymore. He will catch Zoro eventually and made him talk. The most important thing was that Zoro looked good, not a trace of pain in his eyes. 

“I am really sorry you were mistreated, please allow me to …” but Sanji had no time to finish his sentence, because the girl turned around with the speed of light, yelled and followed a few steps the green-haired man, managing to fall the second time, right in the man’s arms. She straightened again, a blush in her cheeks.

“You won’t get away this easy.”

“I can see.”

“We have to be together again, you are an idiot who mistreated a lady, so you have to pay.”

“You know what? I don’t have to do a thing, so leave me the fuck alone!”

“Don’t yell at a lady you neanderthal!”

Zoro threw him a murderous look. Sanji’s leg was in the air before he even thought it, Zoro blocking it with his arm. 

“I do what I want swirly.”

“Look Zoro, let your friend be, you won’t distract me with your silly fights, and if you don’t have a good reason why not, be my boyfriend again!”

“I have a good reason but I don’t have to tell you!”

Sanji let his leg fall on the ground, looking at the ex-lovers fighting. 

“That just means you have no reason and you’re lying. Besides you’re just making things up again like you did when we were together, you’re a moron if you think I don’t realize at least this, you’re getting in the mud lower and lower so end with the bullshit and be my boyfriend again!”

“For the last time, forget about this stupid idea. We’re over!”

“Why?”

“Because I like someone else!”

Zoro felt like all the park heard him, and was looking at him. He felt his face go really hot, so he covered it with his palms and sighed. He didn’t want to recognize this in front of his ex and his crush. He just recognized it for himself, he was not ready yet to talk. The voice that could be heard next really made him set on fire.

“I don’t believe you!”

He sighed again, exasperated with her.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you!”

His hands were downed and when he opened his eyes, ready to unleash hell, he stopped. Instead of looking at the girl, Sanji’s face was what he saw, his eyes big, his face amazed, a sad smile on his lips. It pulled a string on his heart. He didn’t want to see the man sad, he wanted to see him laughing and arguing with him and … Zoro lifted his arm as if to touch the other’s face, watching the other’s shock while doing it, but it got grabbed by the girl AGAIN! He kept forgetting she was there. It angered him and made him not care anymore that they once had something, a feeling a bit stronger than friendship. 

“Who would you like? You don’t show interest in anyone ever, at least we had a thing in common, our love for swords. What could you be more powerful?”

The words triggered memories in Zoro’s head, the shopping trip in the fish market, the cooking in the restaurant’s kitchen, the fight between the two of them, the fight with the mob gang, sleeping in the man’s bed, all of these were more powerful than just fighting, but holding himself in, because he was much too powerful for the girl. He realized he was daydreaming, so he got beet red. 

“… you don’t have no person you like, you’re just lying don’t you?”

That warm feeling changed into anger.

“Well, if you really want to know so bad it’s him.”

His hand was showing Sanji, but he didn’t turn his head around because he was afraid of what he would see on the other’s man's face. He just straightened his arm and dragged an open-mouthed Sanji right beside him.

“Come on, Zoro, stop lying! I don’t believe this one second, I could say the same thing to any of my girlfriends, you don’t really want a relationship with him.”

Sanji’s mouth was already opened, ready to say something, to defend Zoro, but the other just turned around, closed their face really slow, put his hand on his chin, slowly closing his mouth, and kissed him.. Sanji’s ice skates fell from his hand, in shock. Zoro released him and looked worriedly at his face. Tashigi was also about to say something but for the first time that day she was out of words, because Sanji smile almost blinded her, and with both his hands pulled Zoro’s face closer to him and kissed him again, a kiss so gentle and so sweet that she could not stop them. Zoro was also smiling when the kiss finished a few seconds later and got wider as they stared at each other in silence, they’re foreheads and noses still touching. He remembered about her, not before taking one of Sanji’s hands and interlinking their fingers.

“I should thank you, I don’t know when I would have had the guts to … confess.”

“You owe me one, and you should have told me you … bat for the same team.”

“Long story …”

He felt Sanji’s finger’s grasping harder as if sustaining him.

“I bet. I have to go, I am meeting a friend. Don’t be a stranger, you really owe me now.”

Tashigi turned away, her face red but smiling. Zoro never showed her such tenderness, his eyes never shine so bright, and that kiss… she was so jealous of that kiss. She never experienced something like that. She wishes she would, soon.


	10. The date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I hated you when I met you at Nami’s party.”
> 
> He saw the blonde’s eyes grow big, fear spiking in them.

The boys looked at the pink dot that slowly disappeared from their view. And then Zoro looked at the hand he was holding and at his boots. He felt his face hot, red, and he didn’t know what to say. Should he apologize and say it was a joke? But he finally said it, he confessed and the blond smiled at him and … all his thoughts disappeared when a warm hand touched his chin and slowly lifted his face. Sanji was looking at him intensely, searching for something. 

“You really meant what you told her?”

His words were spoken lightly as if he didn’t know if he wanted to ask or not. But he was looking right in the other’s eyes. 

“I hated you when I met you at Nami’s party.”

He saw the blonde’s eyes grow big, fear spiking in them. He was not a coward, but he closed his eyes and kept talking.

“You made me feel things that I thought I buried a long time ago. I thought I could do what my teacher told me, marry a woman and have some noisy children. I fought really hard to convince myself that one day I will be able to do that…”

He felt the blonde’s other hand on his hip, and the other’s heat really close to his body and face. He opened his eyes and the other was right there, just a breath apart. 

“You gave me back myself, and even though it will be hard and maybe you will hate me at the end of it all, or maybe you will regret it all, thank you!”

Zoro looked at the blond in front of him, his big, blue, stunning eyes, his mouth a bit opened as if wanting to say something but not knowing what to say. The swordsman smiled and kissed him again, closing his eyes and just enjoying the moment. Sanji released his hand, and just when Zoro was about to protest, both hands were placed on his neck and embraced hard, a sweet voice whispering directly into his ear. He embraced the blond back, getting his hands on the other’s hips.

“After I realized you are on my team, you became a big temptation, a curiosity, a possibility, and I realized I liked you even though we fought all the time, even though you got on my nerves and I wanted to kick you to the moon and back. But you were so scared of anyone finding out, and it was clear that you were not comfortable with that part of yourself, which is what kept me in place, I could help you get through it but I couldn’t …. Hit on you.”

“Why not?”

Zoro tried to look at the blond but strong hands were keeping his head on the other’s shoulder. 

“Because maybe I wouldn’t have been your first pick, but the more comfortable one. Maybe you would have fallen for someone else if not for me, taking that decision from you, and I didn’t want that.”

“And what about what you felt?”

Zoro felt a bit angry, even though he knew he had no say in this. The cook would just have suffered in silence if it weren’t for Tashigi. Yeah, he owned her big time. 

“It didn’t matter what I felt, you were more … important.”

“How about we agree to disagree and not do this again? Let me go.”

His voice was more stern then he wanted, but it was necessary to look the other in his eyes when saying the next words. Sanji looked at him worried. Zoro took both of his hand in his hand kept them between them.

“You want to give this…”

He interlocked their fingers and held them there.

“… a try?”

Sanji’s face looked like it caught fire, but his eyes were still watching the other.

“Yes, I would very much like that.”

“What about the others?”

“What about them?”

The green-haired man struggled with his next words. 

“Won’t you feel bothered if they don’t find out?”

Again, he knew he was no coward but it was hard to look in the other’s eyes when asking this, so he looked at their hands. 

“Look at me Zoro.”

He lifted his eyes slowly as the other was waiting for him. When their look met, the cook smiled.

“The decision is up to you to take if you want to tell them when you want to tell them. It must be hard for you but I will be there for you whatever decision you make.”

“But how about what you want?”

Sanji was again putting himself in the second place, sacrificing something he might have wanted for the other’s sake, and Zoro was having none of it.

“It doesn’t matter what I want, it’s …”

“YES, IT DOES!”

The people that were near them turned their heads but Zoro threw everyone a “not your business” look and then looked at the shocked blond in front of him. 

“If we start this, it’s as equals, because that’s one of the things I like about you, you only give me your best whenever we fight, with others or between ourselves. Are we clear?”

Cook’s laugh warmed his insides, and the kiss after made him feel molten hot.

“Yes, very clear. And since we got that out of the way how about a date?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Ok, then come!”

“What, like right now?”

“No better time than the present.”

Sanji got his skates from where he dropped them with one hand but kept the other in Zoro’s grip. He had a lot to think about later, but right now he was just happy.

“Where are we going?”

“Ice-skating. Have any idea how that’s done?”

“Yeah, I’ve done it a few times. But I’m no pro at it.”

“I can work with that.” 

They both smiled and headed to the almost full rink.

They got in line for Zoro to borrow skates as well, two girls looking at them suspiciously, but Sanji didn’t bother paying attention to them, he would give all of it to the idiot next to him. 

Zoro didn’t lie when he said he knew how to skate a bit, his biggest problem was the direction. Most of the time, for him not to fall, he would turn around and go the other way, right through the wave of people who skated right in his direction. Sanji laughed the first few times and went fishing his … boyfriend out from the crowd and in the right direction but right when he thought he would lose his calms and snatch the idiot again, he saw the girls from before approach his man, both taking his arms and pulling him in the right direction but not letting him go. If Zoro’s face wouldn’t have been so shocked and tried to make them let go, Sanji wouldn’t have known what to do, but the green-haired man’s face was saying all the cook wanted to know. He slipped easily through the crown and right in front of the man’s face, skating backward. 

“Ladies, you have found my lost puppy! Thank you a lot!”

Both girls looked at the man, but one of them not letting go. The other just sweetly smiled at Sanji and showed him her hand.

“Um, would you like to skate with me?”

“It would do me great pleasure.”

Zoro was looking at him sadly and defeated, still trying to get away from the girl that was holding him tightly.

“But you see, I and my friend came here together and it’s not nice to let him alone.”

“But he’s not alone, my friend will keep him company. It’s ok.”

Sweet little foxy, Sanji thought, you won’t listen until I tell you all.

“Such a sweet lady like your friend shouldn’t have to support him, it’s ok, we came together, I will take care of him.”

Sanji smiled and hoped the girl to understand. But the other was more stubborn.

“No worries, I will take care of your cutie friend.”

Sanji was out of words for the moment.

Zoro starting to get really pissed off, he really wanted to have this first date with Sanji, he still couldn’t believe he confessed and he wasn’t rejected, but that was something to think about at dorms. Now he just wanted to spend some time with the blond, because he didn’t know if tomorrow the man won’t change his mind. 

He had a lot to think while he was at home, he meditated a lot and even investigated the “GAY” subject and he found out that there was not something so awful, no one will throw rocks at him or even put him in jail. Yeah, it was a minority and many would throw nasty looks if they knew but, that’s about it. He was not alone in his dilemmas, many asked on the internet how they could cure it ( impossible ), or parents reactions, or coming out to friends and Zoro really felt something deep watching I'm Gay by Eugene Lee Yang, he was not in the same situation but it was close. He hasn’t told his sensei again, he was not yet prepared for that, but he understood that it will have to be done soon.  
The conclusion he came to before coming back to his last days of high school was that, yes he was gay, yes he had to make the courage and tell his friends, and yes he felt deeply in love with Sanji and he had to tell the other guy something. 

And ok, he really didn’t want to yell so that all the world to know he was gay but these girls were irking him bad. He will never see them again probably so, to hell with it. He managed to get his hand out of the girl’s grip, looked at both of them while snatching Sanji’s hand and talked through his teeth.

“How about you just forget about it, because I and my boyfriend are trying to have a date here.”

The shock was on their faces, and Zoro was afraid for a second that he will be yelled at or made fun of but then he saw the red color on their faces and heard the apologize and leave. Sanji didn’t say a thing but the most beautiful smile was on his face. He let himself be dragged by hand to the edge, Sanji sticking his back on the wall and Zoro should have stopped right in front of him, but because he didn’t hit the breaks in time he just felt his skates hit the wall, each leg on the other side of Sanji and falling on his ass. Sanji was laughing with tears.

“Smooth move there Casanova.”

Right when he wanted to retaliate, a hand was given to him and was helped to get up.

“Are you tired?”

“Well, it kinda was a long, eventful day…But I still want to be with you for a while.”

Zoro said the last words looking at his boots. He didn’t know what the other’s reaction would be, and the rejection was sitting hard on his mind. 

“How about we enjoy a cup of hot whine then?”

“Yeah, sure.”

They ordered hot whine and stayed on the benches, looking at the others skating and talking about everything and nothing, about the holidays, families and just neutral subjects. Sanji kept adding teases here and there but Zoro couldn’t respond to then, just looking at the skating rink, but feeling his cheeks reddening every time.

When the night came, they left home through the park. It was pretty dark, and they were walking slowly as if trying to stretch the time together as much as possible. And then something magical happened, it started to snow. Well, snow was already everywhere but, falling snow was just something so magical. They both looked up and enjoyed the little flakes falling from the sky, but after a few moments, Zoro looked at Sanji. The guy was smiling and his eyes were bright, and Zoro felt the reddening coming back on his face with vengeance. The man was just so beautiful. And then he was looking at him and started laughing.

“What’s wrong marimo, weren’t we looking at snow? Why are you so red, huh?”

Zoro thought he had to get back for all the teasing so he just got down, got snow into a snowball and caught the other right in the face. His look was so shocked that Zoro started laughing hard.

“Oh, that’s it. You’re gonna get it!”

And so the snowball battle began, but none was losing because they were both good, throwing in the other, laughing, and being hit by the other. It was a competition, but it was fun. Zoro felt high with adrenaline and happiness, felt his heartbeat louder and harder with each laugh, with each hit the other got and received. In the middle of all these feelings and seeing he couldn’t his he just threw himself on the blond, throwing them on a hill of snow. Their faces were closed and turned from laughing to smiling, to be awed by the closeness of the other. Zoro realized he made a mistake, wanting to let Sanji go and just get up, his heart was not prepared for this closeness. But the other had other plans. Before he could get up, the cook’s hands were on his face pulling him closer. They were looking at each other’s eyes, Zoro a bit nervous, Sanji smiling warmly. 

“Mosshead…?”

“Yes curly?”

“Kiss me!”

The green-haired man’s breath got stuck in his throat, mouth hanging open but no words coming out. The blond giggled slowly and closed the distance between their faces. He put his forehead on his, looking right in his eyes.

“Won’t you?”

Zoro felt it like a competition, with him or with the blond, he didn’t know but it was something he had to win so he closed his eyes and just touched the other’s mouth with his. The smooth lips were cold, their taste was of with and smoke and they made him tremble all over. But then all he felt was forgotten because Sanji was kissing him back and if this was not the greatest feeling in the world, he didn’t know what was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kinda proud of myself. 
> 
> My bf caught a bad cold and I had to take care of him but I still managed to finish this baby.  
Good job me!


	11. Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep your pants on, it gets big!

Sanji left his mosshead at his place, with the explanation that he didn’t want to go find him later in the night lost in another city or something. He kissed him again in front of the building, one little touch of lips, oh so sweet, the reddening from the other’s cheeks and the shiny eyes, not letting him go for a moment more, and then he left. It was pretty late and his man has called already a few times to see if he was ok. They never got out of this habit, when he was out he would receive one call two or three hours, not to check where he was but if he was ok. This led to some weird moments with his partners because none understood why he had to answer no matter what he did, like kissing or touching or … and many broke up with him because of that. But Zoro didn’t bat an eye when he told him it was his old man. Sanji was walking and smiling, thinking at all the great moments he experienced today with his mosshead. Just by thinking the man was now his, not like owning him, God no, but being a couple, made his smile more bright, and the man was adorable, with all his blushes, looking at his shoes and small talking. But what made the blond think a bit were the moments when the other told him he mattered. He was used to putting his partner’s wishes higher than his because that was what you did as a couple no? Try to make the other as happy as possible, to make all their wishes come true and all the jazz and he didn’t mind. But it seems his boyfriend wanted them to be equals, and the thought was surprisingly sweet but shaky because he didn’t know if he could do it if he could change, he was just so used to offering and not asking something back. But the snow fight showed him that even though no one won or lost, they could have so much fun. Oh and let’s not think about the attraction between them, because his cheeks were red as hell just remembering the looks, the touches, the possessive greenhead while taking his hand and saying to those girls to let them have their date. While all those thoughts running through his head, Sanji entered home. Zeff was at the door the moment he yelled the salute and was looking at him strangely.

“What?”

“You’re weird, eggplant?”

“Huh? What the fuck old man?”

“Have you fallen in love again?”

Sanji was so shocked that his dad could guess it so quickly, that he couldn’t say a word, just looking at the man and wondering if he could read minds. 

“Will I know them soon?”

Always the gruffly but attentive person, Zeff didn’t want to guess the sex the person who stole his son’s heart. He knew the boy could go both ways, even though boys were more of his taste.   
Sanji looked at the floor, and while taking off his shoes, he whispered.

“You know him already. He was here and cooked with me.”

His old man looked at him a bit incredulous and then it was like a light bulb clinked.

“So the green head got his wits in check, or did you? I thought you said you were going skating.”

“Long story and I was skating. So, just so you know I might come with him from time to time.”

“Good, call him to dinner soon.”

“Zeff, I don’t want him scared or anything.”

|Who said anything about scaring him? I want to thank him because he smashed your brain back to your head. Now stop smiling like a lunatic and come eat, I waited for you.”

“Well, I told you I’ll be out and to eat by yourself.”

“Yeah, you did. But you were weird when you left.”

“I was no weird.”

“Yeah, you are right. You were not weird then, you are weird all the time.”

“Do you want to eat alone?”

Both grumpy men got in the kitchen and eat while talking about kitchens and food, neutral subjects for them.

“I think I will have to get a loan.”

“Zeff, we had this discussion a thousand times, I have enough money to go to college. You know I put some money well myself also, we are good.”

“I was not thinking of you eggplant. I think I will upgrade the kitchen of Baratie.”

“Oh… That’s … good.”

Sanji told him many times that not only people cook, but the gadgets, and he was never listened to. His old man was very conservative, he liked to do all by himself and never liked help.

“Did something happen?”

“The blue oven caught fire again.”

“Fuck, what’s this, the third one this week?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Well, tell us when and I call Zoro also to help.”

“Yeah, he might be of use. I’ll feed you after.”

“It’s a deal.”

Sanji was smiling while washing the dishes, his relationship with his father was not always the best and many didn’t understand them, but they did, and it was working really well. His life seemed so nice right now that Sanji almost couldn’t believe it. He will start his last semester of high school, exams were coming, and entering a business college was not so simple, but he felt happy and he thought he will make it work somehow. He had to talk with Zoro about this also, would the man go to college or go back to his city to help his father? Some black thoughts shadowed his happiness but chase them away with a smile. They had time to talk, maybe tonight, he was physically tired but his mind was restless. Just thinking about talking to the guy again made him smile, so he sent him a quick message: “Hey mosshead, do you have Skype?”

Zoro entered his room, planked on his bed, face forward and grunted. The day was a swirl of emotions and feelings. First Tashigi, who wanted to get back to him and him not knowing how to properly refuse her, because she was a stubborn bitch, but oh well he so owed her right now. He got his phone out of his pocket and before changing his mind sent her a message: Sorry for today, I’ll buy you dinner sometime soon.   
He put his phone in bed and went to the fridge. Precooked dinner and a beer later, he remembered how the blond tried to help him subtly, but that didn’t work. So he had to do a thing that he was so not prepared but the anger put a spot on his mind and thinking: he came out to someone. Her reaction? She didn’t believe him! It’s was the hardest thing he did in such a long time and she didn’t believe him! So anger and shock just took over him and he did the second hardest thing in the whole world, he kissed Sanji right there and then. Their first kiss and he didn’t even ask if the man wanted it or … he just took it. But it was so mind-blowingly good, and their lips fit perfectly, and goddammit it was the first time Zoro felt tingly all over just because a kiss. Before the kisses were there just because girls wanted them and asked him to kiss them all the time, and he did, but he never felt a thing, but with Sanji, it was like someone has fired the biggest firework inside him. And then the date and those pushy girls wanting to interfere, but he wouldn’t have it. Before that day, if anyone had said to him that he would come out to three people on the same day he would have laughed in his face. But he actually did it and no meteor splashed him. Drinking wine with Sanji, laughing and talking and… Sanji telling him he was more important, the dumb blond, he hasn’t realized how special he was for Zoro, how many feelings he brought to the surface and the way he made him feel. He had to tell the gang so Sanji would not have to hide for him. He had to do it and fast. Because Sanji’s smile while looking at the snow falling from the sky and them looking at him, it was all he ever wanted to see the blond from now on. His phone chimed and he thought it was Tash answering him, but him but it was Sanji, and his face automatically smiled.   
“Hey mosshead, do you have Skype?” 

They exchanged Skype addresses and video called. They talked about their plans for after high school, both wanting to go to college, but their luck was they wanted to go in the same city they were already. Zoro told Sanji that he didn’t want to go back to the city he came from, he was afraid his father would regress in his depression if he saw him all the time and remembered about his daughter. Kuina was in his heart and she will always be but he would not cry anymore. Zoro also told Sanji he wanted to find a part-time job, so he could move in a small apartment somewhere in the city, and Sanji looked a bit out of words. 

“What is it curly?”

“Um, what?”

“Come on tell me!”

“Um… I was thinking that … but … it’s too early and …”

“Come on, spill it out!”

“Maybe we could move together in that small apartment, I already have a part-time job at the Baratie, the old man is paying me by the hour. But it’s too soon so don’t think about it.”

“I think it’s a good idea, but yeah let’s try to get through exams and we will see then.”

Sanji’s smile blown his face and eyes, and Zoro knew he said the right thing. The cook’s phone was heard some times, calling.

“Ah, it’s Nami, she asks me if I will be there tomorrow.”

“There?”

“Oh, yes. We found a nice spot to hang. I want to go but if you …”

“You are really getting on my nerves, man. Even if I didn’t want to go, you should have gone, if you wanted to. But tell her we are coming. I have to apologize to the guys.”

“They miss you.”

“Yeah, I miss them a little also.”

“Oh, have you seen Perona’s new movie?”

“Oh, not yet. Is it out?”

“Yeah, and I have it so how about we watch it together?”

“Sure, give me the link to download it.”

They watched the movie and then talked all night long. Sanji’s old man came at 3 in the morning and barked at them that they should sleep and that Sanji promised to help in the morning with breakfast preparations, and just before he closed the door, he looked at the computer and said that if the green head had nothing better to do he could come to eat with Sanji and then closed the door hard. Zoro looked at Sanji’s red cheeks and the way the man tried to hide his face.

“Look, he realized that … we… um he asked me and … um ,,, he knows.”

“About us? And he isn’t mad?”

“No, he didn’t seem mad a few hours ago, and he called you over which is always a very good thing. Sorry!”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“Maybe you didn’t want him to find out…”

“Well, if he's not mad and I will come to your place more often so maybe it is a good thing… I guess. Come on, go to sleep, or else he will be mad at me.”

“But I wanted to talk to you more…”

“I will come tomorrow to have lunch together. When did Nami say we had to meet?”

“12, maybe 1?”

“Good, I will be at your place at 9 …”

“No, come at 10. I finish helping then and we can eat together.”

“Ok, 10 it is. Good night curly!”

“Good night mosshead.”

The Skype call was closed and both boys entered the bed but sleep was nowhere to be found. They both thought about the other and the day to come.

The next day Zoro woke up as usual at 8 and did his daily meditation, but it took him a while because his head was full of yellows and blues. He slapped himself twice and then he could concentrate better. He left early home because he realized his sense of direction was bad, even if he knew the place. He managed to get to Baratie a bit early and saw Sanji through the personal door. He positioned himself at a two-person table and waited. He heard a strange noise coming to him and he turned his head. Sanji’s old man was looking at him intensely, two plates of meat and cheese and eggs and vegetables in his hands. 

“Come with me.”

His voice was grouchy, but his gestures were not aggressive so Zoro felt pretty safe for now. He was led to a private booth.

“I guessed that the little eggplant has hooked up with someone by the look on his face so don’t be mad at him.”

“Um, I was not mat … sir.”

“Cut the sir, I’m Zeff. You both went through a lot so, I don’t need to tell you it will be hard, or that you should fight for what you want, or that I’ll rip you apart if you hurt him.”

Zeff's look was terrible and frightening, but Zoro kept looking into the old man’s eyes.

“He will be here in 5 minutes.”  
And then he left. Zoro felt he could breathe again, felt his body shake and his heartbeat a bit harder. The man was scary. Right when he thought things got back to normal a really sleepy entered the booth and from tired and sleepy, he became all happy and full of energy. He made the few steps that kept them apart and kissed him hard. After a few minutes of that, they had to breathe, so Sanji gets one step back but was stopped by Zoro’s hand.

“Morning marimo.”

“Morning curly brow. How was your morning?”

“Hard! The old man kept barking at me and hurrying me up, but luckily they were not so many clients.”

After another kiss, Zoro let the man go to his chair so they could eat. They also talked a lot and Zoro realized that he was not used to talking as much as he was but Sanji made him do it so easily. 

“Come on, we have to take the bus to the place.”

“Is it so far?”

“Um… no.”

“Then maybe we could walk?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Outside was still a bit cold but they preferred it that way, they got a few nasty stares when they got too close to each other but Zoro was too happy to let it bother him. He had a plan, and even though he was nervous as fuck, he would do it till the end.

They were last to arrive at the place, and everyone was happy that Zoro was there, Luffy and Usopp and Chopper started whining that they were sorry, that they didn’t want to get him mad and that they were happy he came back to them. 

Nami looked at him and Sanji and let the question that was on everyone’s lips.

“So Sanji, how did you found him and convinced him to come?”

The blond got red.

“Um, … You see…”

Zoro looked at her and sighed. Things were happening faster than he wanted but, oh well, he promised himself he would do it.

“Can you listen a bit?”

Everyone looked at him. 

“Come on, sit down a bit.”

Even Sanji was looking at him weirdly. He didn’t tell the man that he would do it, he just implied that they would now someday.

“So, before Luffy came to grab me from my lonely corner before I came here in this city before I lost the person I thought I will only love in my life, I was looking at power and I wanted it. I thought it was normal, I wanted to be powerful so I sought power, but my dad told me it was not normal and that I should forget about it. Then Kuina died, and I came here, Luffy helped me talk to people again and I was a little me again, but not totally. A few days ago I saw that power again, I saw color and joy and the part that I wanted to hide came to life in me again. Nami, I yelled at you because I didn’t know how to hide that part and you were getting closer and closer and I was … afraid.”

While talking his head lowered and even though he knew he had to do it, it was hard. He looked at everyone and all of them were quiet, waiting for him to say something more. Sanji had his eyes big, realizing what he was going to do. Zoro sighed.

“I don’t want to date girls because I like men.”

He waited for one of his friends to say something, to make a disgusted face or something, but Luffy just smiled, and the others were looking at him shocked but not unpleasant. And then, all at the same time exploded.

“Why did you wait for so long?”

“You could have said something.”

“Why did you stay with girls then?”

“Wow, guys, one at a time please.”

Zoro was smiling, no one said anything unpleasant. 

“It’s hard, really hard to say something like that when all your life you’ve been trying to hide it because someone told you are not normal.”

The girls looked at him worried and Nami embraced him.

“I won’t charge you for that because now I know you don’t like it.”

She smiled hard and blinked at him.

“And …. One more thing.”

He looked at Sanji, who was not paying attention anymore, not realizing what he was about to do.

“I and Sanji are together.”


	12. Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys I don't know why but for me Corona was = no ideas, no inspiration. But today was the day of a thought sooo ... prepare for another chapter pretty soon. I really hope I will manage it until tomorrow. But today ... enjoy another chapter :D

Everyone stopped from what they were doing and looked at Zoro, and then at Sanji, and at Zoro again.

“You can’t.”

Nami was the first one to say something, and they all looked at her.

“Why?”

Luffy was really confused.

“Because Sanji only dates girls.”

And then Luffy laughed hard.

“I thought you never forget things Nami. Sanji told us he was bi a long time ago.”

“You did?”

“Actually yes, when we first played truth or dare.”

“Oh … and you and Zoro really … ?”

“Hey, don’t talk as if I’m not here.”

“You wait for your turn! Sanji?”

“Yes, my lovely.”

“Why Zoro? I presented you to Viola and Kalifa, and you told me it didn’t click. And now you’re with Zoro?”

“Nami, it’s not ok what you’re doing.”

“You shut up a little. Why Sanji?”

The blond sighed and turned his eyes to the ground. When he spoke it was in a little, silent voice.

“Because we’re the same and different in so many ways, because he’s so strong and I couldn’t do what he did, but he’s also scared.”

Sanji lifted his eyes and looked directly at his boyfriend.

“But he got over his fears because it was not fair for me. Thank you for that, by the way!”

And then Nami screamed.

“You fucking stupid men! Who the hell can understand you? Do you know how many money I lost because I bet I could find you one girl each by the end of the year?”

They all laughed and the atmosphere got lighter in the room. Everyone knew the love Nami had for money.

“Eh we could put the cook in a wig and say that I am with a girl, no one will notice.”

“What did you say mosshead? You want to put on a dress for the new year and you don’t know how to ask for it? No problem SWEETHEART I will help!”

“The fuck curly?”

“The fuck marimo? You hot with your teeth in your mouth?”

“I still don’t believe it. How could you two be together when you’re like that?”

The two were face to face, spilling insults at one another, their hands in each other’s shirts, ready to pounce. They turned their heads when Nami talked again.

“Well, it’s easy Nami.”

Luffy turned their heads to each other again, forcefully.

“Now kiss!”

They realized the closeness between them, Zoro looked at Sanji and because the man was not in his element, he wanted to refuse, they were fighting all the time but they should stop if the other was not ok with things like that. The swordsman tried to let the blond go and tell the younger one that it was not his business to ask for something like that, but he was surprised when the other, instead of letting him go, pulled him closer and kissed him. At that moment no sound mattered, no movement, nothing but the soft mouth on his, the hand that crept from his shirt in his hair, and the perfectness of the moment. They broke after a few moments and everywhere around them was silence.

“Wow!”

Usopp was looking at them open-mouthed. Both men got red and put some space between them. They didn’t plan to be so open about their relationship but in their group, you couldn’t hope to keep a secret for too much time. They didn’t behave differently, they screamed and fought, but everyone was looking different at them, not saying anything, but seeing them in a way they didn’t before. 

Zoro was in his dorm room getting ready for the new year’s party that was held at Sanji’s restaurant ( oh well his father restaurant ) and was heavily thinking. Only a week has passed since they were boyfriends and Sanji wanted more. The man passed the level of kisses and hugs, holding hands and rosy cheeks, and went after undershirt touches, neck kissing and dirty looks. Zoro didn’t mind, oh not at all he was even excited by all of these, but scared at the same time. First, he never felt this type of neediness, of excitement. Second, even though he knew he liked men, and Sanji was one, he was not used to touching one. And the first time it was a bit strange. And even though Sanji had no inhibitions, he had a lot of patience and was reading him like a book, because as soon as he showed even the tiniest bit of weirdness, the other stopped, smiled at him and just embraced him or let him go but his mouth which was the most sensitive part of his body right now, he always left Sanji’s house with it a bit puffy. And even this, he thinks “always” but they were a couple for only a few days. His level of commitment was alarming. But he also spent his last week at the boy’s house, talking, listening music, eating, and … touching, exploring. Sanji’s father was always busy so they had no fears, but it was all so new. And Zoro started wondering if maybe he was heading in this direction headfirst and too fast. If he stopped and thought about the future just a little bit, Sanji might leave the city in just a few months, to God knows what snobby college, and leave Zoro behind. Would they still be together? Long-distance relationships sounded so bad and Sanji would have lots of boys and girls who would hit at him and make him feel not alone anymore and …Zoro sighed, erasing his thoughts. He has to ask Sanji if he will leave because he had no money to leave anywhere, and maybe he didn’t want to either. His sensei gave him just a bit more than surviving and those institutes where hell of expensive. Yes, he had some money now, and not because they were sent to him but because he didn’t pay for food at all. Sanji insisted eating together, gave him food for home and the first time Zoro wanted to say no Zeff heard and told him that he will filet him the next time he said no to his food. Sanji’s dad was scary when he wanted to. Sighing again, Zoro got up from his bed where he sat to think and went to take a shower. It was almost time to leave ( yeah there were some hours before the party began but he usually got lo …. The streets moved and it would take him some time to get there ).

Sanji was in the middle of frenzy cooking when he sneezed and hiccupped and he knew exactly who was thinking about him and that made him smile and a bit of the tiredness go away. Let’s be honest here Sanji was smitten, he enjoyed everything about his boyfriend, even his lack of experience and little startles. And it was the first time he wanted it all. Sanji felt drunk even though he drank only a glass of water since he woke up ( and masturbated because he had a wet dream about his boyfriend ). He tried, he really tried to be patient and leave the pace to the other but when his hands felt the other’s burning skin, when their lips were sucking each other and tongues were playing, Sanji felt like he could swallow the other whole. He had to hit his cheeks and get back to work, and thought thank god he had the apron on so the others couldn’t see his erection. He had a lot to cook, his friends would be here and they had a whole dining room just to themselves. Franky was coming with the sound system, Usopp with the fireworks, the food was being prepared and he wondered if his marimo was coming early. It would be a good thing and a bad one at the same time. Good because god he loved having the mosshead near him, and bad because maybe he would be late with the food. He smiled and after verifying the meat from the oven he messaged the man. 

“Hey marimo, u left already?”

“Neah, just got out of shower. Can I take my clothes for tonight and come in something more casual?”

“Yeah, sure. Don’t forget you’re PJs.”

“Um … why?”

Sanji looked at the message and he didn’t know what to answer. Maybe the man didn’t want to sleep with him. They were not there yet and the only time that happened, the man had an attack. He prepared to write the other to forget it when he received a message again.

“I only sleep in my underwear and maybe a shirt but usually I’m too hot for that anyway.”

Sanji went from worried to almost dripping blood from nose aroused and embarrassed at the same time. 

“Then don’t forget to get some underwear. If you need I can give you a shirt.”

“KK, leaving now. Oh, and curly? Your shirt won’t fit ;)”

Zoro didn’t know what came to him but he was in a teasing disposition. He imagined Sanji’s red face and started laughing. The year to come is going to be great.


	13. Steps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was fast :D
> 
> And I still didn't arrive at where I wanted to so ...   
Maybe in the next chapter that maybe will be posted soon 
> 
> Poor you, more to read :))

When Zoro got over to Sanji, he was still in the kitchen. He just sat in the door frame and looked at his man. He was definitely tired, dark circles under his eyes, so he woke up at an ungodly hour to cook for today, but he had a slight smile on his lips. He didn’t notice he was being watched, but the others did and one by one slowly started to giggle. Sanji looked at the others but still didn’t notice him, and checked his phone frowning a bit. Zoro moved as slowly as possible and when the cook let the knife down on the table, he embraced him. The sound the man let out was not manly at all, and the entire kitchen was laughing.

“Stupid mosshead, what do you think you’re doing? When did you get here?”

“About the time you started checking your phone.”

The others stopped staring a while ago, getting used to the two of them, and because the owner threatened them. But the two were just so silly and adorable.  
And speaking about the owner…

“Go in your room brats. Eggplant, the second hall is ready for when your friends will come.”

“Thank you, old man! I can’t go in my room I have to finish the…”

Zeff pushed him to Zoro and then yelled.

“Do you think I can’t cook a lousy dinner for you and your rowdy friends? You’re 100 years too young to have that confidence you sprout. Now go and wait for things to happen.”

Sanji let with a “crazy old man” on his lips but took Zoro’s hand and went for his room. 

Carne and Patty came to their boss looking concerned. 

“Zeff, they’ve been in Sanji’s room all week long. Don’t you think you should check on them now and then? I mean they could … be doing … you know.”

“They didn’t yet. But it won’t take long. So?” His voice was gruff but not mad.

“Chef, how can you be so calm? They are still kids and both men and …”

“Shut your yap! They will hear you. Kids my ass. Sanji’s not a virgin anymore since he was 16, he brought a girl home that made him cry 2 months later. That girl thought him almost all he knows. Plus if the broccoli head is a man what? Sanji told me since he was a kid he liked men. They’re almost 18, they have their own way and I hope they will take it. Sanji doesn’t belong here with me. But I do believe he belongs with him. They both should leave and live their lives not sit on my head and give me headaches.”

All the staff from the kitchen had tears in their eyes.

“Zeff chef!”

“Go back to work you lout!”

On the second floor, Sanji and Zoro were kissing. 

“Hey, mosshead.”

“Hey, curly.”

Sanji had his hands on Zoro’s hips and Zoro had his arms on his shoulders. Sanji rubbed his nose on the other’s neck. 

“You smell so good!”

Zoro’s nose was on Sanji’s hair. 

“Talk for yourself. How about a little nap?”

“Are you a cat? We have to get ready and …”

“Cook, you have dark circles and your eyes are red. It’s just 2 in the afternoon, the guys are coming at 8. Just a little nap and then I’ll help you get ready. And you’ll help me …”

“Ha, you just want to get me in bed.”

Sanji accompanied his words with the wiggle of his brow. Zoro’s face was aflame. He did want that but not in a perverse way, or maybe he wanted that also but maybe not now … Sanji frowned.

“Don’t hurt your pretty little mind with this mosshead, it was just a joke.”

Zoro sighed and started to undress. He knew Sanji wanted more, wanted it all, and maybe he also wanted it but what was keeping him at bay was his inexperience. He didn’t know what to do and he hated it. And it was all so new. He put his pants on a chair, his shirt also, only his underwear on, and turned to Sanji without saying a word. The other was slowly fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, but his eyes were on Zoro’s body. His breathing was a bit fast and his face a bit hot. Zoro replaced the cook’s hands with his own, slowly unbuttoning and touching the increasingly hot skin. Sanji touched his chest and scar and closed his eyes when he felt Zoro’s hands on his skin, undressing him of his shirt. He moaned a little when he felt hot lips on his, chest on chest, skin on skin and Zoro’s hands on his pants, opening the belt and the button underneath, and moaned louder in the other’s mouth when the zipper was also opened and his dick touched through his underwear at the same time by a finger. Zoro was so unfair. He wanted to touch also, but as soon as his hands were releasing the other’s chest, the game stopped and Zoro pressed his hands on the other’s as if telling him not to move without saying a word. His eyes were intense and Sanji would get lost and drunk on them. Seeing as Sanji got the message, Zoro continued to kiss him while slowly undressing him. The trousers were off and forgotten, and Zoro slowly took Sanji to bed and pushed him totally on the sheets while he was on his knees. If it was anything that he knew he did well, and all his dates, even though girls, told him that, it was that he knew how to touch and where. They were the same sex so how hard could it be? Zoro pulled the blanket on them and kept the blond in his arms just kissing him for the moment. The feeling has getting to his head and he knew he was semi-hard just from it. His hand, which was on Sanji’s neck, went down to his chest again. He stopped the kiss and opened his eyes. It was the first time he was touching the other and he wanted to see all the reactions his cook had.   
Sanji was really turned on, and he wanted to jump his man and … fuck he didn’t know what he wanted more to fuck or be fucked. But Zoro kept things slow and it was the first time his boyfriend was the one attacking him so for the moment he let himself be attacked, just for the moment, to see where this was this going.   
Zoro just slowly touched, all his chest and belly, rubbing a bit harder every time, and after the other was slowly trembling attacked his nipples with the same gentleness. Two fingers for two nipples, just touching in circles. Seeing Sanji more and more excited did things to him so he stopped watching just a few moments, enough time to kiss the man. His mouth was very hot but pliable as if Sanji gave him all the reigns. His mouth went lower on his neck, just lips on the skin, little kisses, that evolved in butterfly kisses, and ended in tonguing and sucking. His mouth was passing on every millimeter of skin, from the back on his ear to his collarbone, while also playing with his nipples. Sanji was going a bit crazy, his breath was hot and he felt himself get a bit precum wet. He hoped Zoro won’t stop, but if he did he would need to go to the bath and rub himself one. But oh he hoped he wouldn’t need to because things were oh so good. His nipples felt cold all of a sudden and Sanji was about to complain when Zoro’s hot mouth was wetting them both one by one, playing with his tongue with the little buds. The hand that was there was traveling down, on his belly played with a finger on his happy trail, but not passing the band of the underwear, where Sanji wanted that hand so much. He tried not to push the other down and engulf him, he tried to let the mosshead do things at his own pace but it was so hard. Not wanting to stop the other, but needing to keep himself on the surface of those shocks that kept passing his body, Sanji grabbed the sheets in his fists and ordered them to stay there, and thank god he did because Zoro went from licking his buds to sucking and Sanji moaned. Don’t get him wrong, he was no woman and he didn’t have so much feeling in them as one, but the fact that Zoro was touching him, and the heat of his mouth, in which he added a bit of biting was turning him on a lot more than it should. And then it all stopped. Sanji was breathing on his mouth, his eyes closed, waiting for the next action, but after a second or two when he realized nothing was happening anymore, and he opened them. Zoro was staring at him, his eyes a sea of black, his lips wet, breathing hard and slowly trembling. The man gave the feeling of uncertainty so Sanji released the sheet from one hand and caressed his cheek, getting up a bit and kissing him, dragging him as close as possible.   
A few pushed and pulls, and they were both laying on the bed face to face, their bodies touching from head to toe, and that included their dicks also. Sanji was close to just letting it go and rubbing himself on Zoro until he came but the he felt Zoro’s hand rubbing him again, going from neck to chest to belly and then below the belt. Sanji sigh moaned, and he was close to crying because it seems that Zoro was only about to rub him on his underwear. Not wanting to lose another moment with anything on, Sanji repeated the gesture Zoro did, slowly rubbing his neck, chest, and belly and looking at Zoro really challenging. The other man was a bit confused but swallowed hard when he felt fingers getting under his underwear belt and staying there, just massaging the area. It was true that it was not so far but for Zoro, it was wayfarer then he went with anyone else. Girls liked to be touched and he did that just to get away from things, but they were not too impulsive when it came time to touch him. So he never crossed that line. Now he was not scared, no, but it was unknown territory and he was careful, while Sanji was assertive and cocky. He couldn’t let that happen. He was no coward, so he did the same, pushed his finger a little under the band of the underwear and felt the skin there. He knew his face was really red, but it felt good and right and his mind was dizzier and dizzier. They started kissing again and their hands went bit by bit, further and further. They both touched their sexes at the same time and moaned. The touches transformed into rubbing and grabbing and soon they were both panting in each other’s mouth. Sweat was rolling over their bodies, they were panting and moaning but their tongues were all over one another, there was no space between them and they wouldn’t want to be. Their hands were frenetic, slipping too well because of sweat and precome, and they were close, their voices were rough, and bodies were strained to maximum. Zoro was the first one to cum, voice hoarsely moaning and mumbling, but never stopped giving Sanji his pleasure. He was almost over when Sanji came all over them, swearing and moaning and trembling and it was all Zoro could have wanted to see. If he hasn’t been ready just a second ago he would have been hard again. 

He helped Sanji till he finished it all and then got out of bed and onto the bathroom, cleaned himself and before he could go help the other, Sanji was there, also wanting to get the fluids off his body, but the man turned the shower on, let it heat a bit and pushed the other in the shower and laughed at the wet, sulky boyfriend. He got in and washed the other after a wet kiss. Nothing slow or passionate, just both cleaning each other up. Drying with the same big, fluffy towel and then Sanji went to his drawer to get underwear and maybe PJs, Zoro realized they don’t need it, they were past that, it seems, so taking his boyfriend hips in his hands, Zoro whispered in his ear.

“Let’s go to bed.”

“I’m trying to if you’d let me I’ll take my clothes and come.”

“No, like this.”

Sanji turned his head and lucked dumbfounded. Did he really understand well? Zoro kissed him lightly and pushed him into the bed. Sanji tried a little “We’ll be cold.” But Zoro answered “No, we won’t.” and then kissed him slowly. Getting in bed, Zoro took him into his arms, kissed him again and then closed his eyes to sleep. Sanji was still feeling like something was not right, or maybe it was more than right, but he was indeed tired so he felt asleep after setting his alarm to 6 P.M. He needed some time before his friends came. He wanted to think a bit, to realize what has happened and how far they got, to … but it was impossible because Zoro was already sleeping and slowly snoring, and the heat he emanated, along with his skin on his, made the falling asleep almost instantly.


	14. New Years party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pora was the loveliest of beings and accepted doing a picture fr this chapter. 
> 
> THANK YOU LOVE!

The alarm sounded loud and was getting louder. Zoro was closer and closed it, or maybe just put it on snooze but right after got under the covers again, ready to sleep. But Sanji had none of that.

“Come on, we need to get up.”

“Noooooo! No one needs to get up. Not on this bed.”

“Gosh, you’re so cute!”

Sanji giggled while looking at his sleepy boyfriend. They were on such a good of a road right now it was almost impossible to believe.

Zoro opened his eyes and looked all over the bed.

“Who? I don’t see any cute here.”

Sanji laughed and threw himself on his boyfriend.

“The comedian you are.”

Zoro was red again and at first, Sanji didn’t realize why but then he felt the little twitch on his leg and belly. Zoro was hard again, but so was he, and because they were naked, all could be felt. Sanji undulated his body and rubbed them together. They both groaned and got all red, but the feeling was too good to stop, so Sanji continued and felt Zoro’s hand holding them both. It was a quick release and then both got to shower and choose their clothes.  
Sanji did a bit of a show, parading and showing Zoro all the clothes he could get wear that night. He choose a blue shirt in the end, with a black-tie and boxers and a black suit.  
“Oh my God, you’re such a girl!”

“Me, why?”

“Your tie and boxers match? Really? Like a girl who is prepared to get laid.”

“Well, I am no girl.”

Sanji's voice went husky, while slowly closing the distance between them. Zoro was in the bed watching him with interest.

“But I might wanna get lucky on the first day of the year.”

Zoro was all red while Sanji put his hands around his neck and looked eye to eye really provokingly. Zoro swallowed hardly, Sanji smiling and playfully biting his apple.

“Come on lazy bun, get dressed. We have things to do. And no, the moving snake from your pants will get no more attention from me today.”

Sanji turned his back and went to fully dress. Zoro thought he could do it also. Why was Sanji always the one teasing him? With his heart beating like crazy, he slowly closed the distance. They didn’t talk about that, no. And it was soon, too soon for it to happen but maybe … maybe he could also tease Sanji, fully sticking their bodies together, rubbing his semi on the man’s matching boxers.

“Why not? I thought you wanted to get lucky tonight.”

He almost didn’t recognize his voice because of the emotions and the smugness he wanted to maintain.

Sanji was now imitating his movement, slowly rubbing that booty on him, but as soon as the man slowly moaned, Zoro released him and went to dress.  
“But if you don’t want to… “

Sanji almost whined, covering his now twitching limb with his hands.

“You … you … Ah, look what you have done!”

While laughing, even though feeling the same but hiding it, Zoro went to get dressed. He chose a light green shirt, with a really deep neckline, dark green tie, and black suit. While looking in the mirror, Zoro could almost say it out loud that they looked good together. They shared a sweet, fast kiss and while both smiling went to see how the preparations looked, and what could they help with.

When they emerged in the restaurant, Zeff looked at them and before anyone could notice, smiled, and then ushered them in the room they will spend the New Year. Soon enough Franky and Usopp were there before the rest with the sound and all seemed to go well. Zoro’s telephone kept calling while he was on a stair to get the lights in a better position. Sanji heard and called the man.

“Dude, your phone keeps calling.”

They agreed they didn’t want to brag with their relationship and in front of the others, they would behave as normal as possible. They knew that they would have no problem with them and their relationship but it was all too soon.

“Answer it then, can’t you see I’m up?”

Sanji looked a little fishy at his boyfriend for a few seconds but then looked at the phone and answered.

Meanwhile, Usopp, who was holding the stair, whistled.

“Wow, man you are brave!”

“Huh, what?”

“You let him answer your phone?”

“I have nothing to hide.”

“Are you sure?”

Zoro looked around and Sanji was coming at them, his face if not bothered, maybe concerned.

“What?”

“It was Tashigi.”

“Oh, man. Is she still on your back?”

“No. What did she want?”

“She knew of the party, did you tell her?”

“Yeah, kinda. She called me crying because of a thing and said she had nowhere to go to the New Year Party and I told her I will ask you, but I was kinda…. Distracted.”

Sanji smirked but tried to hide it.

“Next time don’t let it slip. She was crying again but I believed she calmed down a bit when I told her there’s no problem. She’s coming with a friend. So …”

“Yeah?”

“Come down a bit. Come with me to smoke.”

Zoro got down, Sanji took him by the hand and guided them in a small room with a window. They both sat on boxes and Sanji kissed Zoro a bit powerful.

“What was that for?”

“Thank you for trusting me.”

“As I told Usopp, I have nothing to hide.”

“So … why is she crying?”

“Ummm … it’s kinda complicated and I kinda told her I won’t say …”

“The boyfriend/girlfriend doesn’t count and I won’t tell her anyway.”

“Ok, so she kinda confessed to her crush last week.”

“Wait, wait, wait. Didn’t she try to get back with you last week?”

“Well, yes. But we were together because we didn’t find anyone else to keep up with us and we both love swordsmanship.”

“But … that’s not a relationship.”

“I … know that now?”

“Oh, Zoro.”

Sanji took him in his arms, threw the extinct cigarette on the window and kissed the man with passion. No one should feel like that. They stopped when they felt they were semi-hard and ready to go, but they had no time.

“Zoro, we can’t. The people are already here and…”

But Zoro had other plans. He placed Sanji with his stomach on a bigger box, locked the door, and got both their pants down. He knew they had no time but he was so attracted by the man before him, it was as if he was in a rut. Sanji was about to protest, to let the brute know that it was neither the time nor the place but while he lifted his body in a vertical position Zoro did a few things that made him shut up because he didn’t want anyone hearing him moan.  
With his penis between the blonde’s thighs, a hand on the other’s junk, and mouth closed on mouth, Zoro started to move more things at the same time. He liked the way Sanji’s suit looked on him, mostly how good those pants were hugging the man’s ass. So now he liked that ass pressed to him while sliding his sex between the man’s strong legs and touching the twitching member of his cook. The kiss they were sharing at the same time made everything better.

Sanji was shocked and will he will surely kick his boyfriend for this, but at that moment he was very excited and ready to unload, everything the green-headed man did was feeling so good. The hand on his dick stroking with the right kind of roughness, the other hand touching all the skin he could touch without unbuttoning the shirt, the sex between his thighs, penetrating the almost inexistent gap of skin, and kissing, kissing, kissing. Sanji didn’t stop kissing until he could no longer hold himself, moaning as silently as possible, while coming the third time that day. Zoro only needed a few thrusts more and he also let his voice go a bit. He was clever enough to keep his hand on both of them and not get dirty but Sanji looked at himself and he would have screamed if not for the very satisfying orgasm, his clothes were wrinkled and he tried really hard to not look like they had a quickie in the pantry, even though it was the truth.

“What the fuck you brute?”

Sanji lightly hit the man with the sole of his shoe on his ass.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy it.”

“Well … I did but this was not the time.”

“Yeah, neither will be later, when all the other people will be here.”

Sanji wanted to say something but he was out of ideas. After getting themselves presentable again, they got out.

“So who rejected your ex?”

Zoro looked at him and smirked.

“Are you sure you are prepared to hear this one?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

“Smoker.”

Sanji stopped in place, his mouth opened and eyes big.

“What?”

“Don’t yell!”

“Wait, wait, we are talking about the sports professor right?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh my God! But she’s … like 18 19 years younger.”

“It was no problem for her it seems.”

“But, wait, I heard some rumors that he is in a relationship with Lady Hina, the English professor.”

“Yeah, you heard it right.”

“Wow, such a complicated story.”

No one beats an eye when they heard two more girls were joining them, they were used to Luffy coming with someone new friends every few weeks. The gang got all together, happy, smiling, drinking, and eating. Sanji was looking from a little distance, just to be sure that everything was ok, but there was nothing that could go wrong. Even the new girls, Tashigi and Monet were having fun, even though they might have consumed a bit too much alcohol.

Zoro looked for his boyfriend, he was nowhere near him, but he didn’t get worried, the blond couldn’t be too far. He found him and his heart stabbed him a bit. Sanji was looking at Monet and smiling. Could he ….? Neah, Sanji was not the type. It was all in his imagination. But just to be sure, he took two glasses of drinks and went to HIS boyfriend. When he was noticed by the other man, a slow, affectionate smile appeared on his face, see Zoro just your imagination.

“Hey stranger, what are you doing here, all alone?”

“Making sure everyone is having everything they need.”

“Hmmm … and may I accompany you?”

Sanji was smiling, accepting the glass of drink.

“You can but you might have more fun with the rest. Your ex and her friend …”

Sanji had no time to finish his thought because Zoro took his face in a hand and kissed him hard, not caring about the eyes that he felt on him.

“Wooooooo! So hot!”

When he released his pray, he was smiling. Sanji was also smiling but a bit confused.

“Didn’t you say that …? Moderate?”

“Did I say that?”

Sanji raised his visible eyebrow and kept looking at his boyfriend. Something was not right, something was making his boyfriend make reckless things and he didn’t know what.

“Did it bother you?”

“Well .. no.”

“That why does it matter? They are our friends, they should just get used to it.”

Zoro was clearly not ok but Sanji feigned unknown.

“Ok big guy, then will you be my partner for this dance?”

“Yeah, let’s go!”

Not much time passed until Luffy yelled.

“I’m bored! I don’t want to dance anymore! Let’s play!”

“Luffy, it’s just 10:30.”

“I don’t are let’s play!”

“Oh, oh, I know!”

“Monet?”

“There’s a trend on the internet where you are chosen from a group of people and you have to call your crush and tell him/her you like her.”

“Woooo, sounds fun, let’s do it!”

“Ok, let’s try boys first. Who’s single, male, and has a crush in line!”

Usopp, Chopper, Luffy, and Franky were in line, back at the camera, then jumped and turned and the camera zoomed in on Usopp. The curly man got all white.

“No, guys, sorry I can’t, really… “

“Come on Usopp, enter the new year knowing you were brave for once.”

“Sanji ….”

Everyone started saying “Usopp” and the man cracked.

“Ok, ok, shut up. I’m calling her.”

The phone rang two times and then a melodious voice answered.

“Hey! What happened?”

In the background could be heard music and screaming.

“Kaya, what are you doing? Come here!”

“Wait for just a second, I have to take this call.”

“Oh, let me guess your best friend Usopp?”

“Shut up! Sorry about that!”

“No problem. Look … um …. You know … um …. “

“Usopp, you’re scaring me. What happened?”

“IhaveacrushonyousincethedeayImetyou!”

Silence could be heard on the phone for a few heartbeats and then a really little, insecure voice answered.

“I like you too.”

Every people erupted in applause and hugged the man. He was crying with happiness. Kaia was laughing in the background.

“So … do you think I could take you on a date next week?”

“Yes.”

“Good, that, … um … hear you at 12?”

“Sure, bye Usopp!”

“Ok, ok, single girls with a crush gather up!”

Monet was the first one to get in line, followed by Nami and Robin. They danced on the music and then turned. Monet was on the camera. She smiled and grabbed her phone from her pocket. It rang three times and then a man’s voice answered, seemingly bored.

“Hello.”

“Um hi, Doffy! Do you know who this is?”

Monet’s face was really red and she was shaking.

“No…”

“Um, it’s Monet.”

“Oh, hi.”

“I just wanted to tell you something.”

“What?”

“I have a big crush on you!”

“Aha. No.”

And then the call ended. Monet was shocked, and no one else knew what to tell her. The girl started crying and ran to their designated bathroom, locking the door. The first to react was Sanji, going after the girl, knocking on the door, softly speaking, exactly the same way he behaved with Zoro when he had his attack. The girl let him in, but after closed the door again. Zoro thought it will be 10 15 minutes and then they will get out, but Sanji was there since 11 and it was 11:30 now and his boyfriend was still not out. The jealousy and loss of confidence were making him crazy. He knew that Sanji liked him, he knew that He had nothing to do with Monet, but … Sanji was bi, so he could like him and Monet at the same time, and Monet was really pretty while Zoro was just … rough and unfriendly. There was even a possibility Sanji will leave him, or maybe just be with him until they fuck and then leave him, or … Zoro was going crazy, he needed a bit of air so he slowly just got out of the dance floor and the room they were in and wished he could smoke so he had a reason to get out in case anyone asked him. He searched and searched for the exit but for the life of him couldn’t find it, but found the room he and Sanji just talked a few hours earlier. He didn’t bother to open the light, just got his suit jacket off, opened the window, and sat on the frame. It was 11:40. Will he feel all alone on the New Year again? Because yeah, he had his friends but… a few tears dropped on his cheek and he didn’t bother wiping them. A small shadow entered the room but said nothing, just got on a box, and sat near him.

“I will be out in 2 minutes Chop.”

“Yeah, sure. And I will be right here.”

“Um look… it’s nothing I just needed air.”

“I didn’t ask anything.”

There was silence again, just for a few breaths of air.

“You know what was the scariest experience of my life?”

“No, what?”

“Seeing your attack and not being able to move for some minutes.”

“Oh, sorry!”

“You don’t need to apologize. I wanted to say that even though I couldn’t move, Sanji did it right away.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“He was watching you for some time, you know?”

“What do you mean?”

“Since you guys fought the first time you met, he kept … peeking at you. And you two really enjoy communicating with each other, be it be talking, or fighting.”

Zoro said nothing but it was the truth. So if they were communicating so good, why was it 11:45, and Sanji wasn’t there with him? He knew that it was important to help people, but why wasn’t he important also? Shouldn’t he be more important? The noise of the door scared him.

“Don’t lose hope Zoro.”

And he was all alone in the room again. All alone. He felt his breathing go faster, and his eyes water again but he refused to let them drop this time. The door opened with a bang and a sweaty Sanji entered the pantry.

“Here you were! I looked for you everywhere, you were not in our room, not outside, not in the bathroom, I got scared, I thought you left or didn’t feel good or …”

Seeing that the man didn’t answer him, just looked at him, Sanji realized he had no suit jacket on.

“I left my jacket on Monet, she wasn’t feeling good and …”

At the name Monet, Zoro turned his head and stopped looking at him. Oh … Sanji, you are stupid he thought. He climbed the box near his boyfriend and embraced him with all his force.

“I’m really really really sorry!”

“Why are you sorry, did you do something wrong?”

“Yes.”

The moment the word got out of the man’s mouth, Zoro was petrified and tried to get out of the other’s embrace but the cook wouldn’t let go. He won’t be anyone’s joke.

“I let you all alone.”

Zoro stopped squirming.

“What did you say?”

“I said I am sorry I left you all alone. I know that … I need to help others but that doesn’t mean I am allowed to let you. I know and I’m sorry, can you please forgive me?”

“Will you do it again?”

Zoro knew he was being pushy and a bit spoiled but he didn’t care.

“Maybe, but I promise I won’t ever leave you so much time alone. Please forgive me!”

Zoro sighed and turned his head to HIS lover.

“I will decapitate you if you ever will.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Damn right it is.”

“Good, now shut up and let me kiss… FUCK! It’s 11:55, come!”

Sanji snatched him and brought him back to the room all his friends were in, in different stages of drunkenness. He smiled when Sanji went with him at a more secluded window and right when they got there, the countdown began: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and then Sanji kissed him, hard, lovingly, possessive and Zoro answered the same because Sanji may be a dumbass, but he was his dammit.


End file.
